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Captain  (tf\arUs  King, 


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THE  COLONEL'S  DAUGHTER.    Illustrated.    Cloth,  $1.25. 

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CAPTAIN  BLAKE.    Illustrated.    Cloth,  $1.25. 

FOES  IN  AMBUSH.    Cloth,  $1.25. 

KITTY'S  CONQUEST.    Cloth,  Ji.oo. 

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Editor  of 

THE    COLONEL'S    CHRISTMAS   DINNER,   and   OTHKB 
STORIES.    Cloth,  $1.25. 

AM  INITIAL  EXPERIENCE,  and  OTHER  STORIES.    Cloth, 
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For  sale  by  all  Booksellers. 
'   B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY,  PUBUSHDS, 

Philadelphia. 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 


BY 


CHARLES    KING,    U.S.A., 

AUTHOR  OP  "THE  COLONEL'S  DAUGHTER.'' 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J,   B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY. 
1895. 


Copyright,  1884,  by  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  A  Co. 


PEEFAOE. 


THE  incidents  of  this  little  story  occurred 
some  twelve  years  ago,  and  it  was  then  that  the 
story  was  mainly  written. 

If  it  meet  with  half  the  kindness  bestowed 
upon  his  later  work  it  will  more  than  fulfil  the 
hopes  of 

THE  AUTHOR. 

February,  1884. 


KITTY'S    CONQUEST. 


CHAPTER   I. 

IT  was  just  after  Christmas,  and  discontent- 
edly enough  I  had  left  my  cosy  surroundings  in 
New  Orleans,  to  take  a  business-trip  through  the 
counties  on  the  border-line  between  Tennessee 
and  northern  Mississippi  and  Alabama.  One 
sunny  afternoon  I  found  myself  on  the  "  freight 
and  passenger"  of  what  was  termed  "The  Great 
Southern  Mail  Route."  We  had  been  trundling 
slowly,  sleepily  along  ever  since  the  conductor's 
"  all  aboard  !"  after  dinner ;  had  met  the  Mobile 
Express  at  Corinth  when  the  shadows  were  al- 
ready lengthening  upon  the  ruddy,  barren-look- 
ing landscape,  and  now,  with  luka  just  before 
us,  and  the  warning  whistle  of  the  engine  shriek- 
ing in  our  ears  with  a  discordant  pertinacity 
attained  only  on  our  Southern  railroads,  I  took 
a  last  glance  at  the  sun  just  disappearing  behind 
the  distant  forest  in  our  wake,  drew  the  last 
1*  5 


6  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

breath  of  life  from  my  cigar,  and  then,  taking 
advantage  of  the  halt  at  the  station,  strolled  back 
from  the  dinginess  of  the  smoking-car  to  more 
comfortable  quarters  in  the  rear. 

There  were  only  three  passenger-cars  on  the 
train,  and,  judging  from  the  scarcity  of  occu- 
pants, one  would  have  been  enough.  Elbowing 
my  way  through  the  gaping,  lazy  swarms  of  un- 
savory black  humanity  on  the  platform,  and  the 
equally  repulsive- looking  knots  of  "poor  white 
trash,"  the  invariable  features  of  every  country 
stopping-place  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon,  I 
reached  the  last  car,  and  entering,  chose  one  of 
a  dozen  empty  seats,  and  took  a  listless  look  at 
my  fellow-passengers, — six  in  all, — and  of  them, 
two  only  worth  a  second  glance. 

One,  a  young,  perhaps  very  young,  lady,  so 
girlish,  petite,  and  pretty  she  looked  even  after 
the  long  day's  ride  in  a  sooty  car.  Her  seat  was 
some  little  distance  from  the  one  into  which  I 
had  dropped,  but  that  was  because  the  other 
party  to  be  depicted  was  installed  within  two  of 
her,  and,  with  that  indefinable  sense  of  repulsion 
which  induces  all  travellers,  strangers  to  one 
another,  to  get  as  far  apart  as  possible  on  enter- 
ing a  car,  I  had  put  four  seats  'twixt  him  and 
me, — and  afterwards  wished  I  hadn't. 

It  was  rude  to  turn  and  stare  at  a  young  girl, — 
travelling  alone,  too,  as  she  appeared  to  be.  I 
did  it  involuntarily  the  first  time,  and  found  my- 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  7 

self  repeating  the  performance  again  and  again, 
simply  because  I  couldn't  help  it, — she  looked 
prettier  and  prettier  every  time. 

A  fair,  oval,  tiny  face;  a  somewhat  super- 
cilious nose,  and  not-the-least-so  mouth;  a 
mouth,  on  the  contrary,  that  even  though  its 
pretty  lips  were  closed,  gave  one  the  intangible 
yet  positive  assurance  of  white  and  regular 
teeth ;  eyes  whose  color  I  could  not  see  because 
their  drooping  lids  were  fringed  with  heavy 
curving  lashes,  but  which  subsequently  turned 
out  to  be  a  soft,  dark  gray ;  and  hair ! — hair  that 
made  one  instinctively  gasp  with  admiration, 
and  exclaim  (mentally),  "  If  it's  only  real !" — hair 
that  rose  in  heavy  golden  masses  above  and 
around  the  diminutive  ears,  almost  hiding  them 
from  view,  and  fell  in  braids  (not  braids  either, 
because  it  wasn't  braided)  and  rolls — only  that 
sounds  breakfasty — and  masses  again, — it  must 
do  for  both, — heavy  golden  masses  and  rolls  and 
waves  and  straggling  offshoots  and  disorderly 
delightfulness  all  down  the  little  lady's  neck, 
and,  landing  in  a  lump  on  the  back  of  the  seat, 
seemed  to  come  surging  up  to  the  top  again, 
ready  for  another  tumble. 

It  looked  as  though  it  hadn't  been  "  fixed" 
since  the  day  before,  and  yet  as  though  it  would 
be  a  shame  to  touch  it;  and  was  surmounted, 
"  sat  upon,"  one  might  say,  by  the  jauntiest  of 
little  travelling  hats  of  some  dark  material  (don't 


8  KITTY'S   CONqUEST. 

expect  a  bachelor,  and  an  elderly  one  at  that,  to 
be  explicit  on  such  a  point),  this  in  turn  being 
topped  by  the  pertest  little  mite  of  a  feather 
sticking  bolt  upright  from  a  labyrinth  of  beads, 
bows,  and  buckles  at  the  side. 

More  of  this  divinity  was  not  to  be  viewed 
from  my  post  of  observation,  as  all  below  the 
fragile  white  throat  with  its  dainty  collar  and 
the  handsome  fur  "  boa,"  thrown  loosely  back 
on  account  of  the  warmth  of  the  car,  was  under- 
going complete  occultation  by  the  seats  in  front; 
yet  enough  was  visible  to  impress  one  with  a 
longing  to  become  acquainted  with  the  diminu- 
tive entirety,  and  to  convey  an  idea  of  cultivation 
and  refinement  somewhat  unexpected  on  that 
particular  train,  and  in  that  utterly  unlovely 
section  of  the  country. 

Naturally  I  wondered  who  she  was;  where 
she  was  going;  how  it  happened  that  she,  so 
young,  so  innocent,  so  be-petted  and  be-spoilt  in 
appearance,  should  be  journeying  alone  through 
the  thinly  settled  counties  of  upper  Mississippi. 
Had  she  been  a  "through"  passenger,  she  would 
have  taken  the  express,  not  this  grimy,  stop-at- 
e very-shanty,  slow-going  old  train  on  which  we 
were  creeping  eastward. 

In  fact,  the  more  I  peeped,  the  more  I  mar- 
velled ;  and  I  found  myself  almost  unconsciously 
inaugurating  a  detective  movement  with  a  view 
to  ascertaining  her  identity. 


KITTrS   CONqUEST.  9 

All  this  time  mademoiselle  was  apparently 
serenely  unconscious  of  my  scrutiny  and  deeply 
absorbed  in  some  object — a  book,  probably — in 
her  lap.  A  stylish  Russia-leather  satchel  was 
hanging  among  the  hooks  above  her  head, — evi- 
dently her  property, — and  those  probably,  too, 
were  her  initials  in  monogram,  stamped  in  gilt 
upon  the  flap,  too  far  off  for  my  fading  eyes  to 
distinguish,  yet  tantalizingly  near. 

Now  I'm  a  lawyer,  and  as  such  claim  an  in- 
disputable right  to  exercise  the  otherwise  femi- 
nine prerogative  of  yielding  to  curiosity.  It's 
our  business  to  be  curious ;  not  with  the  sordid 
views  and  mercenary  intents  of  Templeton  Jitt; 
but  rather  as  Dickens's  "Bar"  was  curious, — 
affably,  apologetically,  professionally  curious.  In 
fact,  as  "  Bar"  himself  said,  "  we  lawyers  are 
curious,"  and  take  the  same  lively  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  our  fellow-men  (and  women)  as  maiden 
aunts  are  popularly  believed  to  exercise  in  the 
case  of  a  pretty  niece  with  a  dozen  beaux,  or  a 
mother-in-law  in  the  daily  occupations  of  the 
happy  husband  of  her  eldest  daughter.  Why 
need  I  apologize  further  ?  I  left  my  seat ;  zig- 
zagged down  the  aisle;  took  a  drink  of  water 
which  I  didn't  want,  and,  returning,  the  long 
look  at  the  monogram  which  I  did. 

There  they  were,  two  gracefully  intertwining 
letters ;  a  "  C"  and  a  "  K"  Now  was  it  C.  K 
or  K  C.  ?  If  C.  K,  what  did  it  stand  for  ? 


10  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

I  thought  of  all  manner  of  names  as  I  regained 
my  seat;  some  pretty,  some  tragic,  some  com- 
monplace, none  satisfactory.  Then  I  concluded 
to  begin  over ;  put  the  cart  before  the  horse,  and 
try  K.  C. 

Now,  it's  ridiculous  enough  to  confess  to  it, 
but  Ku-Klux  was  the  first  thing  I  thought  of; 
K.  C.  didn't  stand  for  it  at  all,  but  Ku-Klux 
would  force  itself  upon  my  imagination.  Well, 
everything  was  Ku-Klux  just  then.  Congress 
was  full  of  them ;  so  was  the  South ; — Ku-Klux 
had  brought  me  up  there;  in  fact  I  had  spent 
most  of  the  afternoon  in  planning  an  elaborate 
line  of  defence  for  a  poor  devil  whom  I  knew  to 
be  innocent,  however  blood-guilty  might  have 
been  his  associates.  Ku-Klux  had  brought  that 
lounging  young  cavalryman  (the  other  victim 
reserved  for  description),  who — confound  him — 
had  been  the  cause  of  my  taking  a  metaphorical 
back  seat  and  an  actual  front  one  on  entering 
the  car;  but  Ku-Klux  couldn't  have  brought  her 
there;  and  after  all,  what  business  had  I  bothei- 
ing  my  tired  brains  over  this  young  beauty  ?  I 
was  nothing  to  her,  why  should  she  be  such  a 
torment  to  me  ? 

In  twenty  minutes  we  would  be  due  at  Sand- 
brook,  and  there  I  was  to  leave  the  train  and 
jog  across  the  country  to  the  plantation  of  Judge 
Summers,  an  old  friend  of  my  father's  and  of 
mine,  who  had  written  me  to  visit  him  on  my 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  U 

trip,  that  we  might  consult  together  over  some 
intricate  cases  that  of  late  had  been  occupying 
his  attention  in  that  vicinity.  In  fact,  I  was  too 
elderly  to  devote  so  much  thought  and  specula- 
tion to  a  damsel  still  in  her  teens,  so  I  resolutely 
turned  eyes  and  tried  to  turn  thoughts  to  some- 
thing else. 

The  lamps  were  being  lighted,  and  the  glare 
from  the  one  overhead  fell  full  upon  my  other 
victim,  the  cavalryman.  I  knew  him  to  be  such 
from  the  crossed  sabres  in  gold  upon  his  jaunty 
forage  cap,  and  the  heavy  army  cloak  which  was 
muffled  cavalier-like  over  his  shoulders,  display- 
ing to  vivid  advantage  its  gorgeous  lining  of 
canary  color,  yet  completely  concealing  any  in- 
terior garments  his  knightship  might  be  pleased 
to  wear. 

Something  in  my  contemplation  of  this  young 
warrior  amused  me  to  that  extent  that  I  won- 
dered he  had  escaped  more  than  a  casual  glance 
before.  Lolling  back  in  his  seat,  with  a  huge 
pair  of  top  boots  spread  out  upon  the  cushion  in 
front,  he  had  the  air,  as  the  French  say,  of  thor- 
ough self-appreciation  and  superiority;  he  was 
gazing  dreamily  up  at  the  lamp  overhead  and 
whistling  softly  to  himself,  with  what  struck  me 
forcibly  as  an  affectation  of  utter  nonchalance; 
what  struck  me  still  more  forcibly  was  that  he 
did  not  once  look  at  the  young  beauty  so  close 
behind  him ;  on  the  contrary,  there  was  an  evi- 


12  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

dent  attempt  on  his  part  to  appear  sublimely  in- 
different to  her  presence. 

Now  that's  very  unusual  in  a  young  man  under 
the  circumstances,  isn't  it  ?  I  had  an  idea  that 
these  Charles  O'Malleys  were  heart-smashers; 
but  this  conduct  hardly  tallied  with  any  of  my 
preconceived  notions  on  the  subject  of  heart- 
smashing,  and  greatly  did  I  marvel  and  conjec- 
ture as  to  the  cause  of  this  extraordinary  diver- 
gence from  the  manners  and  customs  of  young 
men, — soldiers  in  particular,  when,  of  a  sudden, 
Mars  arose,  threw  off  his  outer  vestment,  emerged 
as  it  were  from  a  golden  glory  of  yellow  shelter- 
tent;  discovered  a  form  tall,  slender,  graceful, 
and  erect,  the  whole  clad  in  a  natty  shell-jacket 
and  riding-breeches ;  stalked  up  to  the  stove  in 
the  front  of  the  car ;  produced,  filled,  and  lighted 
a  smoke-begrimed  little  meerschaum;  opened 
the  door  with  a  snap;  let  himself  out  with  a 
bang;  and  disappeared  into  outer  darkness. 

Looking  quickly  around,  I  saw  that  the  fair 
face  of  C.  K.  or  K.  C.  was  uplifted ;  furthermore, 
that  there  was  an  evident  upward  tendency  on 
the  part  of  the  aforementioned  supercilious  nose, 
entirely  out  of  proportion  with  the  harmonious 
and  combined  movement  of  the  other  features ; 
furthermore,  that  the  general  effect  was  that  of 
maidenly  displeasure;  and,  lastly,  that  the  evi- 
dent object  of  such  divine  wrath  was,  beyond  all 
peradventure,  the  vanished  knight  of  the  sabre. 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  13 

"  Now,  my  lad,"  thought  I,  "  what  have  you 
done  to  put  your  foot  in  it  ?" 

Just  then  the  door  reopened,  and  in  came,  not 
Mars,  but  the  conductor ;  and  that  functionary, 
proceeding  direct  to  where  she  sat,  thus  addressed 
the  pretty  object  of  my  late  cogitations  (I  didn't 
listen,  but  I  heard) : 

"It'll  be  all  right,  miss.  I  telegraphed  the 
judge  from  luka,  and  reckon  he'll  be  over  with 
the  carriage  to  meet  you ;  but  if  he  nor  none  of 
the  folks  ain't  there,  I'll  see  that  you're  looked 
after  all  right.  Old  Jake  Biggs  '11  be  there,  most 
like,  and  then  you're  sure  of  getting  over  to  the 
judge's  to-night  anyhow." 

Here  I  pricked  up  my  ears.  Beauty  smilingly 
expressed  her  gratitude,  and,  in  smiling,  corrob- 
orated my  theory  about  the  teeth  to  the  most 
satisfactory  extent. 

"  The  colonel,"  continued  the  conductor,  who 
would  evidently  have  been  glad  of  any  excuse  to 
talk  with  her  for  hours,  "  the  colonel,  him  and 
Mr.  Peyton,  went  over  to  Holly  Springs  three 
days  ago;  but  the  smash-up  on  the  Mississippi 
Central  must  have  been  the  cause  of  their  not 
getting  to  the  junction  in  time  to  meet  you. 
That's  why  I  brought  you  along  on  this  train ; 
'twasn't  no  use  to  wait  for  them  there." 

"  Halloo !'  thought  I  at  this  juncture,  "  here's 
my  chance ;  he  means  Judge  Summers  by  *  the 
judge's,'  and  '  the  colonel'  is  Harrod  Summers, 

2 


14  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

of  course,  and  Ned  Peyton,  that  young  reprobate 
who  has  been  playing  fast  and  loose  among  the 
marshals  and  sheriffs,  is  the  Mr.  Peyton  he 
speaks  of;  and  this  must  be  some  friend  or  rela- 
tive of  Miss  Pauline's  going  to  visit  her.  The 
gentlemen  have  been  sent  to  meet  her,  and  have 
been  delayed  by  that  accident.  I'm  in  luck;"  so 
up  I  jumped,  elbowed  the  obliging  conductor  to 
one  side ;  raised  my  hat,  and  introduced  myself, 
— "  Mr.  Brandon,  of  New  Orleans,  an  old  friend 
of  Judge  Summers,  on  my  way  to  visit  him; 
delighted  to  be  of  any  service ;  pray  accept  my 
escort,"  etc.,  etc. — all  somewhat  incoherent,  but 
apparently  satisfactory.  Mademoiselle  graciously 
acknowledged  my  offer ;  smilingly  accepted  my 
services;  gave  me  a  seat  by  her  side;  and  we 
were  soon  busied  in  a  pleasant  chat  about  "  Pau- 
line," her  cousin,  and  "  Harrod,"  her  other 
cousin  and  great  admiration.  Soon  I  learned 
that  it  was  K.  C.,  that  K.  C.  was  Kitty  Carring- 
ton ;  that  Kitty  Carrington  was  Judge  Sum- 
mers's  niece,  and  that  Judge  Summers's  niece 
was  going  to  visit  Judge  Summers's  niece's 
uncle;  that  they  had  all  spent  the  months  of 
September  and  October  together  in  the  north 
when  she  first  returned  from  abroad;  that  she 
had  been  visiting  "  Aunt  Mary"  in  Louisville 
ever  since,  and  that  "  Aunt  Mary"  had  been  with 
her  abroad  for  ever  so  long,  and  was  just  as  good 
and  eweet  as  she  could  be.  In  fact,  I  was  fast 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  15 

learning  all  my  charming  little  companion's 
family  history,  and  beginning  to  feel  tolerably 
well  acquainted  with  and  immensely  proud  of 
her,  when  the  door  opened  with  a  snap,  closed 
with  a  bang,  and,  issuing  from  outer  darkness, 
re-entered  Mars. 

Now,  when  Mars  re-entered,  he  did  so  pretty 
much  as  I  have  seen  his  brother  button-wearers 
march  into  their  company  quarters  on  inspection 
morning,  with  an  air  of  determined  ferocity  and 
unsparing  criticism ;  but  when  Mars  caught  sight 
of  me,  snugly  ensconced  beside  the  only  belle  on 
the  train,  the  air  suddenly  gave  place  to  an  ex- 
pression of  astonishment.  He  dropped  a  gaunt- 
let; picked  it  up;  turned  red;  and  then,  with 
sudden  resumption  of  lordly  indifference,  plumped 
himself  down  into  his  seat  in  as  successful  an  at- 
tempt at  expressing  "  Who  cares  ?"  without  say- 
ing it,  as  I  ever  beheld. 

Chancing  to  look  at  Miss  Kitty,  I  immediately 
discovered  that  a  little  cloud  had  settled  upon 
her  fair  brow,  and  detected  the  nose  on  another 
rise,  so  said  I, — 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  Our  martial  friend 
seems  to  have  fallen  under  the  ban  of  your  dis- 
pleasure," and  then  was  compelled  to  smile  at 
the  vindictiveness  of  the  reply : 

"  He  I  he  has  indeed !  Why,  he  had  the  im- 
pertinence to  speak  to  me  before  you  came  in ; 
asked  me  if  I  was  not  the  Miss  Carrington  ex- 


16  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

pected  at  Judge  Summers's ;  actually  offered  to 
escort  me  there,  as  the  colonel  had  failed  to  meet 
me!" 

"  Indeed !  Then  I  suppose  I,  too,  am  horribly 
at  fault,"  said  I,  laughing,  "  for  I've  done  pretty 
much  the  same  thing  ?" 

"  Nonsense !"  said  Miss  Kit.  "  Can't  you  un- 
derstand ?  He's  a  Yankee, — a  Yankee  officer ! 
You  don't  suppose  I'd  allow  myself,  a  Southern 
girl  whose  home  was  burnt  by  Yankees  and 
whose  only  brother  fought  all  through  the  war 
against  them, — you  don't  suppose  I'd  allow  my- 
self to  accept  any  civility  from  a  Yankee,  do 
you  ?"  and  the  bright  eyes  shot  a  vengeful  glance 
at  the  dawdling  form  in  front,  and  a  terrific  pout 
straightway  settled  upon  her  lips. 

Amused,  yet  unwilling  to  offend,  I  merely 
smiled  and  said  that  it  had  not  occurred  to  me ; 
but  immediately  asked  her  how  long  before  my 
entrance  this  had  happened. 

"  Oh,  about  half  an  hour ;  he  never  made  more 
than  one  attempt." 

"  What  answer  did  you  give  him  ?" 

"  Answer ! — why !  I  couldn't  say  much  of 
anything,  you  know,  but  merely  told  him  I 
wouldn't  trouble  him,  and  said  it  in  such  a  way 
that  he  knew  well  enough  what  was  meant.  He 
took  the  hint  quickly  enough,  and  turned  red  as 
fire,  and  said  very  solemnly,  'I  ask  your  par- 
don,'1 put  on  his  cap  and  marched  back  to  his 


KITTY1  S  CONQUEST.  17 

seat."  Here  came  a  pretty  little  imitation  of 
Mars  raising  his  chin  and  squaring  his  shoulders 
as  he  walked  off. 

I  smiled  again,  and  then  began  to  think  it  all 
over.  Mars  was  a  total  stranger  to  me.  I  had 
never  seen  him  hefore  in  my  life,  and,  so  long  as 
we  remained  on  an  equal  footing  as  strangers  to 
the  fair  K.  C.,  I  had  been  disposed  to  indulge  in 
a  little  of  the  usual  jealousy  of  "  military  inter- 
ference," and,  from  my  exalted  stand-point  as  a 
man  of  the  world  and  at  least  ten  years  his  senior 
in  age,  to  look  upon  him  as  a  boy  with  no  other 
attractions  than  his  buttons  and  a  good  figure ; 
but  Beauty's  answer  set  me  to  thinking.  I  was 
a  Yankee,  too,  only  she  didn't  know  it;  if  she 
had,  perhaps  Mars  would  have  stood  the  better 
chance  of  the  two.  I,  too,  had  borne  arms 
against  the  Sunny  South  (as  a  valiant  militia- 
man when  the  first  call  came  in  '61),  and  had  only 
escaped  wearing  the  uniform  she  detested  from 
the  fact  that  our  regimental  rig  was  gray,  and 
my  talents  had  never  conspired  to  raise  me  above 
the  rank  of  lance-corporal.  I,  too,  had  partici- 
pated in  the  desecration  of  the  "  sacred  soil" 
(digging  in  the  hot  sun  at  the  first  earthworks 
we  threw  up  across  the  Long  Bridge);  in  fact, 
if  she  only  knew  it,  there  was  probably  more 
reason,  more  real  cause,  for  resentment  against 
me,  than  against  the  handsome,  huffy  stripling 
two  seats  in  front. 

b  2* 


18  KITTY1 'S  CONQUEST. 

He  was  a  "Yank,"  of  course;  but  judging 
from  the  smooth,  ruddy  cheek,  and  the  downi- 
est of  downy  moustaches  fringing  his  upper  lip, 
had  but  just  cut  loose  from  the  apron-strings  of 
his  maternal  West  Point.  Why !  he  must  have 
been  at  school  when  we  of  the  old  Seventn 
tramped  down  Broadway  that  April  afternoon 
to  the  music  of  "  Sky-rockets,"  half  drowned  in 
stentorian  cheers.  In  fact,  I  began,  in  the  few 
seconds  it  took  me  to  consider  this,  to  look  upon 
Mars  as  rather  an  ill-used  individual.  Very 
probably  he  was  stationed  somewhere  in  the 
vicinity,  for  loud  appeals  had  been  made  for 
regular  cavalry  ever  since  the  year  previous, 
when  the  Ku-Klux  began  their  devilment  in  the 
neighborhood.  Very  probably  he  knew  Judge 
Summers ;  visited  at  his  plantation ;  had  heard 
of  Miss  Kitty's  coming,  and  was  disposed  to 
show  her  attention.  Meeting  her  on  the  train 
alone  and  unescorted,  he  had  done  nothing  more 
than  was  right  in  offering  his  services.  He  had 
simply  acted  as  a  gentleman,  and  been  rebuffed. 
Ah,  Miss  Kitty,  you  must,  indeed,  be  very  young, 
thought  I,  and  so  asked, — 

"  Have  you  been  long  in  the  South  since  the 
war,  Miss  Carrington  ?" 

"  I  ?  Oh,  no  !  We  lived  in  Kentucky  before 
the  war,  and  when  it  broke  out  mother  took  me 
abroad.  I  was  a  little  bit  of  a  girl  then,  and 
was  put  at  school  in  Paris,  but  mother  died  very 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  19 

soon  afterwards,  and  then  auntie  took  charge  of 
me.  Why,  I  only  left  school  last  June !" 

Poor  little  Kit !  her  father  had  died  when  she 
was  a  mere  bahy;  her  mother  before  the  child 
had  reached  her  tenth  year;  their  beautiful  old 
home  in  Kentucky  had  been  sacked  and  burned 
during  the  war ;  and  George,  her  only  brother, 
after  fighting  for  his  "  Lost  Cause"  until  the  last 
shot  was  fired  at  Appomattox,  had  gone  abroad, 
married,  and  settled  there.  Much  of  the  large 
fortune  of  their  father  still  remained ;  and  little 
Kit,  now  entering  upon  her  eighteenth  year, 
was  the  ward  of  Judge  Summers,  her  mother's 
brother,  and  quite  an  heiress. 

All  this  I  learned,  partly  at  the  time,  princi- 
pally afterwards  from  the  judge  himself;  but 
meantime  there  was  the  rebellious  little  fairy  at 
my  side  with  all  the  hatred  and  prejudice  of  ten 
years  ago,  little  dreaming  how  matters  had 
changed  since  the  surrender  of  her  beloved  Lee, 
or  imagining  the  quantity  of  oil  that  had  been 
poured  forth  upon  the  troubled  waters. 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE  "  Twenty  minutes  to  Sandbrook"  had 
become  involved  in  difficulty.  Interested  in  my 
chat  with  Kitty,  I  had  failed  to  notice  that  we 
were  stopping  even  longer  than  usual  at  some 
mysterious  locality  where  there  was  even  less  of 
any  apparent  reason  for  stopping  at  all.  All 
without  was  darkness.  I  pushed  open  the  win- 
dow, poked  out  my  head,  and  took  a  survey. 
All  was  silence  save  the  hissing  of  the  engine 
way  ahead,  and  one  or  two  voices  in  excited  con- 
versation somewhere  near  the  baggage-car  and 
by  the  fence  at  the  roadside.  Two  lights,  lan- 
terns apparently,  were  flitting  rapidly  about.  I 
wondered  at  the  delay,  but  could  assign  no  cause 
in  reply  to  the  natural  question  Miss  Kit  asked 
as  I  drew  in  my  head. 

Mars  opened  his  window  as  I  closed  mine, 
looked  out  a  moment,  then  got  up,  gave  himself 
a  stretch,  and  stalked  out;  this  time  without 
slamming  the  door ;  a  bang  would  have  been  too 
demonstrative  in  that  oppressive  silence.  In  one 
minute  he  came  back  with  a  quick,  nervous  step, 
picked  up  a  belt  and  holster  he  had  left  at  his 

20 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  21 

seat,  and,  without  a  glance  at  us,  turned  sharply 
back  to  the  door  again.  As  he  disappeared,  I 
saw  his  hand  working  at  the  butt  of  the  revolver 
swung  at  his  hip.  Something  was  wrong.  I 
knew  that  the  Ku-Klux  had  been  up  to  mischief 
in  that  vicinity,  and  the  thought  flashed  upon 
me  that  they  were  again  at  work.  Looking 
around,  I  saw  that  three  of  our  four  fellow- 
passengers  had  disappeared.  They  were  ill- 
favored  specimens,  for  I  remembered  noticing 
them  just  before  we  stopped,  and  remarked  that 
they  were  talking  earnestly  and  in  low  tones  to- 
gether at  the  rear  end  of  the  car.  The  other 
passenger  was  an  old  lady,  spectacled  and  rheu- 
matic. Without  communicating  my  suspicions 
to  my  little  charge,  I  excused  myself;  stepped 
quietly  out ;  swung  off  the  car,  and  stumbled  up 
the  track  toward  the  lights. 

A  group  of  six  or  eight  men  was  gathered  at 
the  baggage-car.  About  the  same  number  were 
searching  along  the  fence,  all  talking  excitedly. 
I  hailed  a  brakeman  and  asked  what  was  the 
matter. 

"  Ku-Klux,  sir !  Tried  to  rob  the  express ! 
There  was  two  of  them  in  mask  jumped  in  with 
their  pistols  and  belted  the  agent  over  the  head 
and  laid  him  out ;  but  afore  they  could  get  into 
the  safe,  the  baggage-master,  Jim  Dalton,  came 
in,  and  he  yelled  and  went  for  'em.  We  was 
running  slow  up  grade,  and  they  jumped  off; 


22  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

Jim  and  the  conductor  after  them;  that's  why 
we  stopped  and  backed  down." 

"  Which  way  did  they  go  ?"  I  asked. 

"  Took  right  into  the  bush,  I  reckon.  That 
lieutenant  and  another  feller  has  gone  in  through 
here,  and  Bill  here  says  he  seen  three  other  fel- 
lers light  out  from  the  back  car, — the  one  you 
was  in,  sir.  That's  enough  to  catch  them  if 
they're  on  the  trail." 

"  Catch  them !"  I  exclaimed.  "  Those  three 
men  in  our  car  were  of  the  same  gang,  if  any- 
thing, and  that  makes  five  to  our  four." 

"  Yes,  by  G — d !"  said  another  of  the  party,  a 
sturdy-looking  planter;  "and  what's  more,  I 
believe  they've  got  a  ranch  in  hereabouts  and 
belong  to  Hank  Smith's  gang.  There  ain't  a 
meaner  set  of  cut-throats  in  all  Dixie." 

"Then,  for  heaven's  sake,  let's  go  in  and  hunt 
up  our  party !"  said  I,  really  apprehensive  as  to 
their  safety.  Three  or  four  volunteered  at  once. 
Over  the  fence  we  went,  and  on  into  the  pitchy 
darkness  beyond.  Stumbling  over  logs  and 
cracking  sticks  and  leaves,  squashing  through 
mud-holes  and  marshy  ground,  we  plunged 
ahead,  until  a  minute  or  two  brought  us  panting 
into  a  comparatively  open  space,  and  there  we 
paused  to  listen.  Up  to  this  time  I  had  heard 
not  a  sound  from  the  pursuit,  and  hardly  knew 
which  way  to  turn.  Each  man  held  his  breath 
and  strained  his  ears. 


KITTY1  S  CONQUEST.  23 

Another  minute  and  it  came, — well  on  to  the 
front, — a  yell,  a  shot,  another  shot,  and  then, — 
"  This  way !"  "  This  way !"  "  Here  they  are !" 
The  rest  was  drowned  by  our  own  rush,  as  we 
once  more  plunged  into  the  thicket  and  on  to- 
wards the  shouts.  All  of  us  were  armed  in  one 
way  or  another, — it  is  rare  enough  that  any  man 
goes  otherwise  in  that  section  of  the  country, — 
and  to  me  there  was  a  terrible  excitement  about 
the  whole  affair,  and  my  heart  came  bounding 
up  to  my  throat  with  every  stride. 

One  or  two  more  shots  were  heard,  and  on  we 
kept  until,  just  as  every  man  was  almost  breath- 
less and  used  up,  we  were  brought  to  a  sudden 
stop  on  the  steep  bank  of  a  bayou  that  stretched 
far  to  either  side  of  our  path,  right  and  left,  com- 
pletely barring  farther  progress. 

In  blank  amazement,  and  utterly  at  a  loss 
what  to  do,  we  were  gazing  stupidly  in  one  an- 
other's faces,  as  one  after  another  we  gathered 
on  the  brink,  when  there  came  a  sudden  excla- 
mation from  the  midst  of  us, — "  Who's  that  ?" 
I  jumped,  thanks  to  startled  nerves,  and  looked 
around. 

A  dark  form  came  creeping  slowly  up  the 
bank,  and  a  weak  voice  said, — 

"  Don't  shoot,  fellows.  I'm  all  right,  but  they 
nigh  onto  finished  me,  and  they've  got  Hank 
Smith  away  anyhow." 

We  crowded  around  him  with  questions ;  but 


24  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

he  was  faint  and  sick  and  the  blood  was  stream- 
ing from  a  cut  on  his  forehead.  A  long  pull  at 
a  flask  tendered  by  some  sympathetic  soul  in  the 
group  revived  him  enough  to  tell  his  experi- 
ence. 

"  Me  and  the  lieutenant  took  out  through  the 
open  until  we  had  to  take  to  the  bush.  Didn't 
see  the  conductor  nor  Jim  anywhere,  but  we 
gained  on  the  Kluxers.  Pretty  soon  we  heard 
'em  busting  through  the  bushes  and  heard  'em 
holler.  I  got  blowed,  but  the  lieutenant,  he 
went  ahead  like  as  though  he'd  done  nothing 
but  jump  since  he  was  a  pup.  I  never  seen  such 
a  kangaroo.  He  got  clean  out  of  sight,  and  all 
of  a  sudden  I  heard  him  holler ;  and  then  came 
a  couple  o'  shots ;  and  pretty  quick  I  came  upon 
him  and  another  cuss  just  more  than  going  for 
one  another  in  the  bushes.  The  Yankee  had 
him  under,  though,  and  had  winged  him  on  the 
run.  "When  I  came  up  he  says  to  me,  says  he, 
*  You  look  out  for  this  man  now.  He  can't  hurt 
you,  but  if  he  squirms,  you  put  a  hole  in  him. 
I'm  going  on  after  the  others.'  So  on  he  went, 
and  I  took  a  look  round.  I'd  sat  down  on  the 
cuss  to  make  sure  I  had  him,  and  my  pistol  at 
his  ear.  He  was  lyin'  right  here  a-glarin'  up  at 
me,  and  the  moment  I  got  a  good,  square  look 
at  his  face,  d — n  my  eyes  if  it  wasn't  Hank 
Smith !  Then  I  began  to  feel  bully ;  and  just 
then  I  heard  some  other  fellows  running  up,  and 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  25 

thought  it  was  our  crowd,  so  I  yelled  out  that  I 
was  here  and  had  Hank  Smith  all  right ;  and  he 
kinder  grinned ;  and  they  hollered  '  bully'  too ; 
and  next  thing  I  knew  one  of  'em  ran  up  and 
fetched  me  a  wipe  over  the  head  and  rolled  me 
off  down  the  hank,  and  there  I've  been  mud- 
hugging  ever  since. 

"I  was  stunned,  but  knew  enough  to  lie  quiet, 
and  they  got  into  some  kind  of  a  boat  and  went 
paddling  off  across  the  creek;  but  Hank  was 
groaning  and  cussing  so  that  I  couldn't  hear 
nothing  but  him.  He  swore  by  all  that  was  holy 
that  he'd  have  that  Yank's  heart's-blood  before 
the  month  was  out,  and  I  tell  you  the  lieutenant 
had  better  keep  his  eye  peeled  or  he'll  do  it." 

So  we  had  lost  him  after  all !  It  was  too  bad ! 
and  so  said  the  conductor  and  baggage-master 
when  they  rejoined  us  a  few  minutes  after,  bring- 
ing with  them  the  cavalryman,  all  three  out  of 
breath,  covered  with  mud  and  scratches,  and  the 
latter  looking  very  white  and  saying  but  little. 
I  noticed  that  his  handkerchief  was  bound  tightly 
round  his  left  hand,  and  divined  the  cause  at 
once.  My  respect  for  Mars  was  rising  every 
minute.  He  took  a  pull  at  the  flask,  looked  re- 
vived, and  as  we  all  turned  moodily  back  to  the 
train,  I  asked  him  about  his  hurt.  "Nothing 
but  a  clip  on  the  hand,"  said  he;  "but  I  suppose 
it  bled  a  good  deal  before  I  noticed  it,  and  made 
me  a  little  faint  after  the  row  was  over.  I  BUS- 


26  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

pected  those  fellows  who  were  in  our  car;  in 
fact,  had  been  sent  up  to  Corinth  to  look  after 
one  or  two  just  such  specimens,  and  was  on  my 
way  back  to  my  troop  by  this  train.  If  that  man 
was  Hank  Smith,  as  they  seem  to  think,  I  would 
almost  rather  have  lost  my  commission  than 
him."  Mars's  teeth  came  together  solidly  as  he 
gave  vent  to  this  sentiment,  and  his  strides  un- 
consciously lengthened  so  that  I  had  to  strike  an 
amble  to  keep  up. 

By  this  time  we  had  worked  our  way  back 
into  a  comparatively  open  space  again,  and  could 
see  the  dim  lights  of  the  train  several  hundred 
yards  oif.  The  rest  of  our  little  party  kept 
crowding  around  us  and  offering  my  young  hero 
cordial  expressions  of  sympathy  for  his  hurt, 
ani,  in  homely  phrase,  many  a  compliment  on 
his  plucky  fight.  Mars  took  it  all  in  a  laughing 
sort  of  way,  but  was  evidently  too  disgusted 
at  the  escape  of  his  bird  to  care  to  talk  much 
about  anything.  Nevertheless,  before  we  got 
back  to  the  train  I  gave  him  my  name,  and, 
as  an  old  friend  of  Judge  Summers's,  whom  I 
presumed  he  knew,  trusted  that  I  might  meet 
him  frequently,  and  that  we  might  become  better 
acquainted. 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Brandon,"  he  answered ;  "  I 
have  heard  the  judge  speak  of  you,  and  am 
sorry  I  did  not  know  sooner  who  you  were.  My 
name  is  Amory." 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  27 

"  Have  you  been  long  in  the  South  ?"  I  asked. 

"  No,  sir ;  only  a  month  or  two.  In  fact," — 
and  here  something  like  a  blush  stole  up  to  the 
young  fellow's  cheek, — "  I  only  graduated  in  this 
last  class — '71 — from  the  Academy,  and  so  have 
seen  but  little  of  any  kind  of  service." 

"  You're  soldier  all  over,  at  any  rate,"  thought 
I,  as  I  looked  at  the  erect,  graceful  figure  beside 
me;  and  wondered — my  thoughts  suddenly  re- 
verting to  Miss  Kitty — how  a  young  girl  could 
find  it  in  her  heart  to  snub  such  a  handsome 
fellow  as  that,  Yank  or  no  Yank. 

A  few  strides  more  brought  us  to  the  train, 
where  Amory,  whose  gallantry  had  already  been 
noised  abroad  among  the  passengers,  was  imme- 
diately surrounded  by  an  excited  group  of  non- 
combatants,  while  I  jumped  into  our  car  to  see 
how  my  little  protegee  had  fared  during  our  ab- 
sence. She  looked  vastly  relieved  at  my  reappear- 
ance, having  of  course  learned  the  true  state  of 
affairs  soon  after  our  sudden  departure.  I  told  her 
briefly  what  had  happened,  taking  rather  a  mis- 
chievous delight  in  dilating  upon  Mars's  achieve- 
ment, and  affecting  not  to  notice  the  expres- 
sion of  mingled  contempt  and  incredulity  that 
promptly  appeared  in  her  pretty  face.  Mars 
himself  did  not  reappear :  he  had  gone  into  the 
baggage-car  to  bathe  his  hand  and  accept  the 
eager  attentions  of  one  or  two  Africans,  native 
and  to  the  manner  born,  who  were  vying  with 


28  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

one  auother  in  brushing  off  the  dirt  from  hia 
snugly-fitting  uniform.  He  was  still  surrounded 
by  a  knot  of  passengers  and  train-hands  when  I 
went  forward  to  see  how  he  was  getting  along, 
which  I  did  when  the  train  started,  but  we  ex- 
changed a  cordial  grip  of  the  hand ;  and  parted 
with  the  promise  of  meeting  at  "  the  judge's," 
or  the  cavalry  camp,  a  few  miles  beyond,  within 
the  next  two  or  three  days. 

The  whistle  for  Sandbrook  was  just  beginning 
as  I  rejoined  Miss  Kitty,  and,  after  a  vigorous  life 
of  at  least  two  minutes,  wound  up  in  a  dismal 
whine  as  we  rolled  in  among  the  lights  at  the  sta- 
tion. Yes,  there  they  were,  ready  and  waiting 
for  us.  The  genial,  gray-haired  old  judge  and 
Miss  Pauline  herself,  his  only  and  devoted  daugh- 
ter, in  whose  arms  Miss  Kit  was  rapturously  en- 
folded the  instant  she  hopped  from  the  platform. 
There,  too,  was  old  Jake  Biggs,  whom  the  con- 
ductor had  mentioned  as  mademoiselle's  escort 
in  case  no  one  else  appeared, — Jake  and  his  boon 
companion,  his  faithful  old  horse,  "Bob,"  so 
named  in  honor  of  General  Lee.  Jake  was  an 
old  colored  servant  of  the  Summers  family,  and 
had  followed  his  "  young  massa,"  Harrod  Sum- 
mers, all  through  the  war ;  had  seen  him  rise 
from  subaltern  to  colonel ;  had  nursed  him 
through  wounds  and  illness;  and  at  last  when 
the  war  was  over,  and  Harrod,  who  had  gone 
forth  with  the  enthusiasm  and  ardor  of  a  boy, 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  29 

returned  to  his  father's  home,  old  Jake  content- 
edly followed  him,  and  settled  down  in  one  of 
the  few  log  cabins  that  remained  on  the  almost 
ruined  estate  of  the  Summers'.  Jake  was  a 
"  free  nigger"  now,  hut  the  world  to  him  was 
wrapped  up  in  old  associations  and  "Marss5 
Harrod."  No  such  soldier  ever  had  lived  as  his 
"  cunnel,"  no  such  statesman  as  the  judge ;  no 
such  belle  as  Missy  Pauline.  And  Jake  not  only 
would  not  leave  them,  but  in  a  vague  and  chival- 
ric  manner  he  stumbled  about  the  premises,  lord- 
ing it  over  the  young  niggers  and  making  mighty 
pretence  at  earning  an  independent  livelihood  for 
himself  by  "  doin'  chores"  around  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  in  hauling  loads  from  the  depot  to  the 
different  plantations  within  a  few  miles'  radius 
of  Sandbrook.  He  had  managed  to  scrape  up  a 
dilapidated  cart  and  harness  somewhere  or  other, 
and  poor  old  Bob  furnished,  greatly  to  his  dis- 
gust, the  draft  and  motive  power.  Having  been 
a  fine  and  spirited  saddle-horse  in  his  younger 
days,  Bob  had  naturally  rebelled  at  the  idea  of 
coming  down  to  the  level  of  the  plantation  mules, 
and  had  shown  something  of  his  former  self  in 
the  vigorous  and  determined  remonstrance  which 
resulted  on  the  occasion  of  Jake's  first  experi- 
ments with  the  harness ;  but  beyond  a  temporary 
dislocation  of  buckles,  straps,  and  dashboard, 
and  a  volley  of  African  anathemas  and  "  Whoa 
da's"  from  his  master,  poor  old  Bob's  rebellion 
3* 


30  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

had  accomplished  nothing,  and  he  had  finally  set- 
tled down  into  a  resigned  and  dreamy  existence, 
and  went  plodding  about  the  vicinity  with  the 
asthmatic  cart  at  his  heels,  a  victim  to  the  vicis- 
situdes of  war. 

Jake  was  a  pet  of  mine,  and  had  amused  me 
very  much  on  the  occasion  of  my  first  visit  to  the 
judge's,  and  that's  why  I  tell  so  long  a  rigmarole 
about  him.  He  stood  there,  a  little  aloof  from 
the  "  quality  folks,"  grinning  and  bowing,  and 
making  huge  semicircular  sweeps  with  his  bat- 
tered old  hat,  in  his  anxiety  to  do  proper  honor 
to  the  judge's  guests. 

I  had  a  chance  to  receive  my  especial  welcome 
while  Miss  Kit  was  being  almost  devoured  by 
her  relatives ;  and  presently  the  baggage  was  all 
pitched  off;  the  train  moved  on  with  a  part- 
ing whoop ;  Mars  appeared  at  the  rear  door  and 
gave  me  a  farewell  wave  of  the  hand;  and  then, 
leaving  to  Jake  and  Bob  the  responsible  duty 
of  transporting  the  young  lady's  trunks,  we 
four — Miss  Summers  and  Miss  Kit,  the  judge 
and  I — were  duly  ensconced  in  the  comfortable 
old  carriage,  and  went  jolting  off  homeward. 

Mr.  Summers  and  I  had  much  to  talk  about, 
and  finding  it  impossible  to  get  a  word  in  edge- 
wise with  the  two  young  ladies,  who  were  fond- 
ling, fluttering,  cooing,  and  chattering  on  the 
back  seat  in  the  most  absorbed  manner  imag- 
inable, we  gradually  drifted  off  into  our  law 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  31 

business  and  let  them  gossip  away  and  exchange 
volleys  of  news  and  caresses. 

The  judge  was  deeply  interested  in  my  account 
of  the  adventure  with  the  Ku-Klux,  and  much 
concerned  about  Amory's  hurt. 

I  learned  from  him  of  the  desperate  and  law- 
less character  of  the  men  who  were  generally 
believed  to  be  the  prominent  members  of  the 
gang,  and  the  perpetrators  of  the  dastardly  out- 
rages that  had  been  so  recently  inflicted  both 
upon  the  negroes  and  the  whites.  The  people 
were  terrified  beyond  expression;  several  had 
been  driven  from  the  country ;  several  had  been 
shot  down  in  cold  blood.  A  defenceless  girl  who 
had  been  sent  down  from  the  North  as  teacher 
of  the  freedmeri's  school,  had  been  dragged  from 
her  bed  at  midnight  and  brutally  whipped  by 
some  cowardly  ruffians.  The  sheriff,  wrho  had 
arrested  one  of  the  suspected  parties,  was  threat 
ened  in  an  anonymous  letter  with  death  if  he 
failed  to  release  his  prisoner  within  twenty-four 
hours.  He  called  upon  the  citizens  for  assist- 
ance, but  none  was  given,  for  the  Union  people 
were  too  few.  A  dozen  men  in  mask  surrounded 
his  house  the  next  night;  his  wife  heard  tho 
strange  noise,  and  went  to  the  door ;  opened  it, 
and  was  shot  dead  in  her  tracks.  The  jail  was 
forced,  the  prisoner  released  and  spirited  off 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  State. 

All  this  was  going  on,  when,  to  the  great  joy 


32  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

of  peace-loving  people,  and  undisguised  anger  of 
the  unreconstructed,  a  troop  of  United  States 
cavalry  came  suddenly  to  the  scene.  Several 
arrests  of  known  murderers  and  marauders  were 
made ;  and,  until  that  very  evening,  nothing 
more  had  been  heard  of  the  dreaded  Ku-Klux. 
Indeed,  it  was  by  some  persons  believed  that 
their  organization  was  broken  up,  and  nothing 
but  the  positive  testimony  of  one  of  their  own 
neighbors,  the  man  to  whom  Amory  had  turned 
over  his  prisoner,  would  induce  the  citizens 
generally  to  believe  that  Hank  Smith  himself 
was  concerned  in  the  attempted  robbery  of  the 
express  car.  The  cavalry  had  been  there  just 
about  a  month  when  this  affair  took  place. 


CHAPTEK   III. 

X 

Miss  KITTY'S  tongue  had  been  far  from  idie 
all  the  time  that  the  judge  and  I  had  been  talking 
over  these  matters,  but  it  was  only  just  before 
we  reached  our  destination  that  I  heard  her 
telling  Miss  Summers  of  the  events  of  the  even- 
ing. The  moment  she  mentioned  that  our  lieu- 
tenant was  hurt,  Miss  Pauline  started  and  ex- 
claimed,— 

"  Oh,  Kitty  !  You  don't  mean  it !  What  wilt 
Major  Vinton  say?" 

"  Who  is  Major  Vinton?"  said  Miss  Kit. 

"  Major  Vinton  is  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  cavalry,  and  Mr.  Amory  is  one  of  his  lieu- 
tenants. Father  knows  them  both  very  well, 
and  the  major  is  with  us  almost  every  day,"  was 
the  answer. 

Miss  Kit's  eyes  must  have  been  as  big  as 
saucers  when  she  heard  that.  I  couldn't  see, 
but  knew  it  when  she  exclaimed,  in  tones  almost 
horror-stricken, — 

"  Oh,  Pauline  !  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that 
uncle  and  you  receive  Yankee  officers !  I  wouldn't 
have  believed  it !" 

"  You  don't  know  him,  Kitty,"  was  Miss  Sum- 

e  83 


34  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

mers's  quiet  answer.  "  I  believe  that  we  owe 
father's  life  to  him,  and  I  know  that,  but  for  him, 
none  of  us  could  have  remained  here.  He  is  a 
thorough  gentleman,  and  you'd  like  him  if  you 
only  knew  him  as  we  do.  As  for  Mr.  Amory, 
he  is  only  a  boy,  to  be  sure;  but  the  major  says 
he  is  a  fine  officer,  and  I  know  that  he  is  a  real 
nice  fellow." 

Miss  Kit  relapsed  into  amazed  silence;  the 
judge  added  some  few  gentle  words  of  reproof 
for  her  treatment  of  the  youngster ;  and  I  was 
smiling  to  myself  over  the  whole  affair,  when  we 
drove  up  to  the  main  entrance  of  their  once 
beautiful  home.  A  tall,  soldierly-looking  man 
opened  the  door,  exchanged  a  word  of  greeting 
with  Miss  Summers  as  he  assisted  the  ladies  to 
alight,  and  then,  as  they  scurried  away  up  the 
stairs,  I  was  introduced  to  Major  Vinton. 

Now,  though  we  had  never  met  before,  the 
major's  name  was  by  no  means  unfamiliar.  We 
were  both  New  Yorkers;  both  had  struggled 
through  Columbia,  and  had  many  a  wrestle  with 
Anthon  and  Drisler;  both  had  rushed  to  arms 
in  heroic  style  and  tramped  off  for  "Washington 
at  the  first  call  for  troops.  But  I  had  speedily 
tramped  back  again ;  while  he  remained,  chose 
the  cavalry  arm  of  the  service,  fought  his  way  up 
to  the  command  of  his  regiment;  and  when,  in 
1865,  his  services  were  no  longer  needed,  sheathed 
his  sabre';  put  aside  his  well-worn  regimentals : 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  35 

tried  hard  to  interest  himself  in  some  civil  pur- 
suit; took  a  brief  tour  abroad,  returned  just  as 
the  new  organization  of  the  regular  army  was 
being  made,  and  meeting  one  night  a  joyous 
bevy  of  his  old  comrades,  regular  and  volunteer, 
with  whom  he  had  fought  over  every  field  from 
Bull  Run  to  Five  Forks,  the  old  fire  was  fanned 
into  a  blaze,  and  in  one  week  he  found  himself 
a  successful  candidate  for  a  captaincy  of  cavalry. 
The  "  major"  came  afterwards  "  by  brevet,"  and 
Vinton  had  settled  down  into  contentedly  follow- 
ing the  old  life,  though  in  a  less  exciting  time 
and  exalted  capacity.  He  greeted  me  in  a  frank, 
warm-hearted  way;  and  we  were  in  the  midst 
of  a  comparison  of  notes  as  to  old  college  names, 
when  the  judge  interrupted  us  with, — 

"  Yinton,  Mr.  Brandon  brings  important  news, 
which  I  think  you  ought  to  know  at  once."  So 
once  again  the  story  of  our  little  adventure  was 
told. 

The  major  listened  attentively  and  never  inter- 
posed a  word;  but  his  brow  darkened  and  his 
face  set  when  I  came  to  Amory's  wound  and 
Hank  Smith's  parting  threat.  The  instant  I 
finished  he  turned  to  a  servant,  saying, — 

"  Be  good  enough  to  tell  my  orderly  to  bring 
the  horses  round  at  once." 

In  vain  the  judge  begged  him  to  stay  and  have 
supper,  or  at  least  some  little  refreshment.  The 
major  said,  very  quietly,  that  he  must  be  off  to 


36  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

camp  at  once ;  asked  me  one  or  two  more  ques- 
tions in  a  business-like  way;  and  the  moment 
the  horses  came,  bade  us  good- night,  swung  into 
saddle,  and  followed  by  his  orderly,  disappeared 
at  a  rapid  trot.  The  judge  and  I  stood  listening 
on  the  portico  until  the  hoof-beats  died  away, 
and  then  returned  to  the  blaze  of  the  great  wood- 
fire  in  the  sitting-room.  The  young  ladies  came 
fluttering  down-stairs.  Supper  was  announced. 
Miss  Pauline  looked  inquiringly  around  as  we 
walked  into  the  next  room,  where  a  bounteous 
table  was  spread. 

"  Where  is  Major  Yinton,  father  ?" 

"  Gone  back  to  camp,  dear.  He  asked  me  to 
present  his  excuses  to  you,  but  he  was  obliged 
to  leave  as  soon  as  he  heard  of  this  affair." 

I  fancied  that  a  shade  of  disappointment  settled 
on  Miss  Summers's  face,  but  she  merely  an- 
swered, "Indeed,  I'm  very  sorry,"  and  busied 
herself  with  the  tea  and  coffee. 

Miss  Kit  looked  immensely  relieved,  and  im- 
mediately became  radiant; — chattered  like  a 
little  magpie, — in  fact,  was  as  charming  and  be- 
witching as  possible;  but  it  was  already  late; 
good-nights  were  soon  exchanged;  and,  tired 
out,  the  household  went  to  sleep. 

Next  morning  when  we  assembled  in  the 
breakfast-room,  our  little  heroine  looked  fresher, 
prettier,  and  tinier  than  the  day  before.  This 
time  her  hair  was  "fixed,"  and  that  was  the 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  37 

only  point  that  in  my  eyes  was  no  improvement. 
All  day  long  the  judge  and  I  roamed  about  the 
premises  or  pored  over  the  cases  he  had  on 
hand.  All  day  long  the  young  ladies  laughed, 
chatted,  flitted  about  from  one  room  to  another, 
played  and  sang.  No  news  came  from  the  camp. 
Late  in  the  afternoon,  when  we  were  all  stand- 
ing on  the  portico,  a  solitary  trooper  came  can- 
tering up  the  road  along  which  the  major  had 
disappeared  the  night  before.  "Without  knowing 
why,  I  found  my  eyes  turning  upon  Miss  Sum- 
mers. She  was  listening  abstractedly  to  Miss 
Kit's  account  of  a  visit  to  the  Mammoth  Cave, 
but  her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  horseman  as  he 
rapidly  neared  the  gate, — neared  it,  and,  never 
drawing  rein  or  checking  speed,  rode  stolidly 
past  on  the  road  to  Sandbrook  depot.  The  wist- 
ful, almost  eager  light  faded  from  her  soft  brown 
eyes;  the  full  lip  quivered  one  little  bit;  but 
quickly  rallying,  she  plunged  into  a  blithe  wordy 
skirmish  with  her  cousin  about  some  alleged 
flirtation  of  the  summer  previous. 

Evening  came,  and  with  it  Harrod  Summers 
and  Mr.  Peyton ;  both  making  much  over  Miss 
Kit;  both  bemoaning  the  accident  which  had 
prevented  their  meeting;  and  both  apparently 
pleased  to  know  that  "  Mr.  Brandon  was  so  kind 
and  attentive."  I  had  known  Harrod  slightly 
before,  as  he  was  away  much  of  the  time  of  my 
previous  visit ;  but  I  knew  him  to  be  his  father's 

4 


•Jg  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

son,  a  man  to  be  honored  and  respected.  Of 
Peyton,  the  less  said  the  better.  He  was  a  rash, 
foolhardy,  and,  I  feared,  criminally  reckless  boy, 
a  violent  "reb"  and  unsparing  hater  of  every 
Yankee.  I  had  heard  grave  stories  concerning 
his  connection  with  some  of  the  acts  of  violence 
committed  upon  the  Union-loving  people  in  the 
vicinity,  and  had  noticed  the  troubled  look  on 
the  judge's  face  every  time  his  name  was  men- 
tioned. I  knew  that  he  had  been  arrested,  and 
that  there  was  strong  presumptive  evidence  as  to 
his  guilt ;  but  he  had  been  immediately  bailed 
out  and  released.  After  this  occurrence,  the 
judge  had  managed  to  persuade  him  to  take  a 
trip  to  Havana  and  New  Orleans ;  but  the  mo- 
ment he  heard  of  Miss  Kitty's  projected  visit  he 
came  hurrying  back.  They  were  second  cousins, 
and  had  met  abroad.  Rumor  had  it  that  Peyton 
had  offered  himself;  that  Miss  Kit  had  a  girlish 
fancy  for  him ;  that  his  suit  promised  favorably 
until  Aunt  Mary  became  suddenly  aware  of  this 
nice  little  family  arrangement,  and,  being  a 
woman  of  the  world,  and  possessed  of  a  keen 
sense  of  what  constituted  the  eligible  and  ineli- 
gible in  a  young  man,  swooped  remorselessly 
down  upon  the  blissful  pair ;  hustled  Master  N"ed 
into  immediate  exile;  and,  gathering  her  one 
chicken  under  the  shadow  of  her  protecting 
wing,  bore  her  in  triumph  away  to  a  realm  un- 
infested  with  dangerous  young  men.  Miss  Kit 


KITTY'S  COXQUEST.  39 

is  said  to  have  shed  bitter  tears  one  week;  sulked 
the  next ;  pouted  another ;  to  have  made  a  vigor- 
ous and  romantic  attempt  at  pining  in  all  three ; 
but  the  effort  was  too  much  for  her ;  and,  being 
wisely  left  to  herself,  it  was  not  long  before  Pey- 
ton and  his  escapades  were  to  her  matters  of 
Berene  indifference. 

Not  so  with  him,  however.  To  do  him  justice, 
Peyton  was  probably  very  much  in  love ;  and  at 
all  events  had  a  very  correct  idea  of  the  unlimited 
benefits  to  be  obtained  through  the  medium  of 
Miss  Kit's  solid  bank  account.  He  was  no  fool, 
if  he  was  a  reprobate ;  and  was  as  handsome 
and  naughty  a  wolf  as  could  be  found  infesting 
Southern  sheepfolds;  and  here  he  was,  primed 
and  ready  to  renew  the  attack.  The  judge  didn't 
like  it ;  Miss  Summers  didn't ;  nor  Harrod ;  nor 
I;  but  it  only  took  a  few  hours  to  convince  us 
all  that  our  beauty  had  just  enough  feminine 
mischief  in  her  to  enjoy  the  prospect  of  another 
flirtation  with  her  old  flame ;  and  so  to  all  but 
Peyton  and  to  her,  the  evening  passed  gloomily 
enough.  The  judge  retired  to  his  library;  Miss 
Summers  played  soft,  sad  music  at  the  piano; 
and  Harrod  and  I  smoked  cigar  after  cigar  upon 
the  porch. 

Ten  o'clock  came  and  still  the  pair  were  cooing 
away  in  the  corner ;  Kitty's  low,  sweet,  bubbling 
laugh  floating  out  through  the  open  casement  to 
where  we  sat.  Miss  Summers  closed  her  piano 


40  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

abruptly ;  came  out  to  our  nook  on  the  portico ; 
and,  declining  the  offer  of  a  chair,  stood  leaning 
her  hand  upon  her  brother's  shoulder. 

Harrod  looked  fondly  up  at  her  for  a  moment 
or  two  as  she  gazed  out  towards  the  gate ;  then  a 
teasing  smile  played  about  his  mouth  as  he  asked, — 

"  Anybody  been  here  to-day,  Paulie  ?" 

"  No-o-o-o !     That  is,  nobody  to  speak  of." 

"  No  major,  then  ?" 

Pauline  looks  squarely  down  into  her  brother's 
eyes  as  she  answers,  "  No  major,  if  you  refer  to 
Major  Vinton."  A  little  heightened  color,  per- 
haps, but  that's  all.  She  is  as  brave  as  Harrod 
and  not  easy  to  tease. 

Harrod  turns  to  me :  "  Do  you  think  he  has 
gone  after  those  men  with  his  troop,  Mr.  Bran- 
don?" 

"  I  don't  know,  colonel ;  he  said  nothing  about 
it,  but  rode  off  immediately.  I  shouldn't  wonder, 
though ;  for  the  judge  tells  me  he  is  over  here 
almost  every  day." 

"Ye-e-es  ?"  (inquiringly.)  "  How  is  that, 
Paulie?" 

Paulie  has  no  reasons  to  allege ;  probably  he 
wouldn't  come  if  he  didn't  want  to. 

"  True  enough,"  Harrod  suggests ;  "  and  still 
less  unless  he  knew  he  was  welcome.  He  is 
awfully  proud,  isn't  he,  Paulie  ?" 

"Indeed,  Harrod,  I  don't  know;  but  he  is 
welcome,  an.l  any  man  who  has  rendered  us  the 


KITTrS  CONQUEST.  41 

service  lie  has  in  protecting  our  father  against 
the  fury  of  that  mob  on  court-day,  ought  to  be 
welcome  among  us !" — Color  rising  and  a  per- 
ceptible tremor  of  the  hand  on  Harrod's  shoulder, 
lie  takes  it  gently  and  leans  his  cheek  lovingly 
upon  it  as  he  looks  up  at  the  flushing  face,  whose 
dark  eyes  still  gaze  unflinchingly  into  his  own. 

"You  are  right  enough,  dear,  and  you  know  I 
agree  with  you.  He  is  a  noble  fellow,  Brandon, 
and  I  hope  you'll  meet  and  know  him  better. 
Father's  decision  against  two  or  three  Ku-Klux 
raised  a  terrible  row  here  ;  and  as  he  attempted 
to  leave  the  court-house  with  one  or  two  friends 
the  mob  hooted  him ;  and  even  his  long  residence 
among  these  people  would  not  have  saved  him. 
They  call  him  traitor  and  Yankee  now.  Well, 
father  tried  to  speak  to  them,  but  they  wouldn't 
listen.  A  few  more  friends  gathered  round  him ; 
a  blow  was  struck ;  and  then  the  mob  charged. 
Shooting  ensued,  of  course,  and  two  of  their  own 
men  were  badly  wounded,  while  father  and  his 
party  of  six  barred  themselves  in  the  court-house. 
Old  Jake  Biggs  dashed  out  to  camp,  luckily 
meeting  Major  Vinton  on  the  way,  and  in  five 
minutes  from  the  time  the  first  shot  was  fired, 
and  before  those  howling  devils  could  break  down 
the  door,  Vinton  darted  at  a  gallop  into  their 
midst, — not  a  soul  with  him  but  his  orderly, — 
rode  up  to  the  door  as  though  he  were  built  of 
cast  iron,  and  then  turned  squarely  and  con- 

4* 


42  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

fronted  the  whole  mob.  There's  only  one  thing 
on  earth  these  people  are  afraid  of,  Brandon  : 
they  don't  care  a  fig  for  law,  sheriffs,  or  marshals, 
but  they  would  rather  see  the  devil  than  the 
Federal  uniform.  And  for  ten  minutes  Yin  ton 
and  his  one  man  kept  that  mob  at  bay ;  and  then 
young  Amory  with  half  the  troop  came  tearing 
into  town,  and  if  the  major  hadn't  checked  them, 
would  have  gone  through  that  crowd  in  ten 
seconds. 

"  The  mob  skulked  off;  but  they  hate  father 
and  the  cavalry  most  bitterly,  and  would  wreak 
their  vengeance  if  they  dared.  I  was  away  in 
Mobile  at  the  time,  and  knew  nothing  about  the 
affair  until  next  day,  when  my  sister's  telegram 
came ;  but  the  sheriff  never  tires  of  telling  how 
the  major  rode  into  that  crowd;  and  how  mad 
Mr.  Amory  was  because  Yinton  stopped  his 
charge." 

"  No  wonder  you  all  think  so  much  of  him, 
colonel,"  I  answered.  "  He  comes  of  a  noble  old 
race,  and  whether  as  enemy  or  friend  you  can- 
not fail  to  respect  him ;  and  I'm  glad  to  see  a 
cordial  feeling  springing  up  between  our  sections 
in  this  way.  I  would  to  God  it  were  more  gen- 
eral!" 

"  Ah,  Brandon,  it  is  not  the  soldiers,  not  the 
men  who  did  the  fighting,  who  are  bitter  now. 
Our  enemies  in  the  North  are  the  men  who  sat 
at  home  wondering  why  your  Army  of  the  Po- 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  43 

tomac  didn't  move.  Your  enemies  are  those 
who  never  felt  the  shock  of  Northern  arms.  We 
would  have  had  peace  long  ago  could  the  soldiers 
have  been  allowed  to  make  the  terms." 

And  so  we  sat  and  talked,  until  the  clocks 
throughout  the  house  were  chiming  eleven,  and 
then  Miss  Summers  declared  we  must  retire. 
The  corner  flirtation  was  broken  up ;  Peyton  and 
Miss  Kit  exchanging  a  lingering  and  inaudible 
good-night  at  the  stairs.  Harrod  and  I  closed 
and  bolted  doors  and  windows.  Peyton  stuck  his 
hands  in  his  pockets  and  walked  nervously  up  and 
down  the  hall  buried  in  thought  until  we  had  fin- 
ished our  work ;  and  then,  on  receiving  Colonel 
Summers'  somewhat  cold  intimation  that  it  was 
time  to  go  to  bed,  wished  us  a  sulky  "  pleasant 
dreams,"  took  his  candle  and  disappeared. 

Harrod  waited  until  he  was  out  of  hearing  and 
then  said  to  me,  "  They  are  all  out  of  the  way 
now,  Brandon,  and  I  want  to  see  you  one  mo- 
ment. It  is  a  hard  thing  to  say  of  one's  own 
kinsman,  but  Peyton  can't  be  trusted  in  this 
matter.  Here  is  a  letter  that  was  left  for  father 
at  the  post-office  in  town,  but  I  have  opened  and 
withheld  it,  knowing  that  it  would  only  cause 
him  unnecessary  trouble.  I'm  worried  about  it, 
and  had  hoped  that  Vinton  would  have  come  over 
to-day ;  we're  safe  enough  with  him  and  his  men." 

Saying  this  he  handed  me  the  letter.  I  had 
seen  them  before;  Ku-Klux  anonymous  rascali- 


44  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

ties, — a  huge,  coarse,  brown  envelope,  directed 
in  a  sprawling  hand  to  the  "  Honerable  Judge 
Summers,"  and  embellished  in  red  ink  with  nu- 
merous death's-heads,  K.  K.'s,  and  in  the  upper 
left-hand  corner  a  flaming  scroll,  on  which  ap- 
peared in  bold  relief  the  words  "  Blood  !  Death ! 
Liberty  !"  The  whole  affair  was  ludicrous  enough 
in  appearance,  and,  throwing  it  to  one  side,  I 
read  the  inclosure.  It  began  with  the  usual 
"  Death  to  Traitors,"  and  wound  up,  after  one  or 
two  incoherent  "  whereases"  and  "  therefores," 
by  informing  the  judge  that  if  he  remained  in 
that  vicinity  twenty-four  hours  longer  "  all  the 
damned  Yankees  this  side  of  hell  couldn't  save 
him,"  and  intimating  that  the  lives  of  the  Fed- 
eral officers  upon  whom  he  relied  "  weren't  worth 
their  weight  in  mud." 

Harrod  and  I  sat  for  some  time  talking  over 
this  elegant  document,  and  decided  that  nothing 
should  be  said  until  we  could  see  Major  Vinton 
on  the  following  day.  The  camp  was  six  miles 
away,  and  on  the  outskirts  of  the  county-seat 
where  the  court-house  row  had  taken  place ;  and 
Sandbrook  was  nearly  as  far  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection. He  anticipated  no  danger  for  that  night ; 
but  such  had  been  the  reckless  nature  of  the 
Elan,  that  we  agreed  it  best  to  be  on  the  safe 
side  and  to  look  well  to  our  arms  ;  then  we  parted, 
each  to  his  own  room. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

IT  was  a  clear,  starlit  night  and  very  mild, 
almost  warm,  in  fact;  and  having  spent  my 
Christmas  but  a  few  days  before  amid  the  orange 
groves  and  magnolias  of  Louisiana,  I  had  pre- 
pared myself  for  something  more  wintry  on  the 
borders  of  Tennessee ;  but  up  to  that  time  my 
overcoat  had  been  insupportable. 

The  combined  effects  of  half  a  dozen  cigars 
and  the  conversation  just  concluded  with  Harrod 
Summers  had  banished  all  desire  for  sleep.  In 
fact,  if  I  must  confess  it,  I  was  nervous  and  ill  at 
ease.  The  room  seemed  close  and  stifling,  so  1 
opened  both  window  and  door  to  secure  the  full 
benefit  of  the  cool  night-air,  and  then  proceeded 
to  make  myself  comfortable.  First  pulling  off 
my  boots  and  insinuating  my  feet  into  an  easy  old 
pair  of  slippers,  I  took  the  boots  to  the  door  and 
deposited  them  noiselessly  in  the  hall,  where  small 
Pomp,  the  "  general  utility"  man  of  the  house- 
hold, could  find  and  black  them  in  the  morning. 
A  dim  light  was  burning  on  a  little  table  in  the 
hall,  and  I  noticed  Mr.  Peyton's  boots  at  his 
door,  the  door  next  to  mine,  and  on  the  same 
side  of  the  hall.  We  were  quartered  in  what 

45 


46  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

was  known  as  the  east  wing,  a  one-storied  addi- 
tion to  the  main  building,  containing  four  sleep- 
ing apartments  for  the  use  of  the  judge's  guests; 
the  floor,  as  is  generally  the  case  in  these  South- 
ern houses,  being  elevated  some  eight  or  nine 
feet  above  the  ground. 

Peyton  and  I  were  the  only  occupants  of  the 
wing  that  night;  the  rooms  of  the  rest  of  the 
household  being  in  the  main  building.  It  oc- 
curred to  me,  therefore,  that  the  hall  lamp  was 
unnecessary  there ;  and  so  I  crossed  over,  took 
it  from  its  table,  and  was  returning  with  it  to 
my  own  room,  when  I  heard  a  long,  shrill,  dis- 
tant whistle.  It  came  from  the  direction  of  the 
woods  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  plantation,  so 
far  away,  in  fact,  that  save  in  the  dead  of  night 
it  probably  would  have  failed  to  attract  attention. 
Involuntarily  I  stopped  short  in  my  tracks,  listen- 
ing ;  and  involuntarily,  too,  I  looked  at  Peyton's 
door.  It  was  closed,  but  the  transom  above  it 
was  open,  and  all  was  darkness  within.  No 
sound  had  come  from  his  room  before,  and  I 
supposed  him  asleep ;  and  now,  as  if  in  corrob- 
oration  of  that  supposition,  he  began  to  snore ; 
rather  a  louder  and  more  demonstrative  snore 
than  would  have  been  natural  from  so  sudden  a 
start,  I  thought  afterwards.  Meantime,  I  stood 
still  a  minute  and  listened.  The  whistle  died 
away,  and  there  was  no  answer  or  repetition; 
the  snoring  continued;  I  moved  on  into  my 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  47 

room ;  closed  and  bolted  the  door ;  put  my  lamp 
on  the  bureau ;  took  out  my  revolver  and  care- 
fully examined  it;  then  turned  down  the  light 
until  nothing  but  a  mere  glimmer  was  left; 
crouched  down  by  the  open  window,  and  looked 
out.  The  stillness  was  so  intense  that  the  tick- 
ing of  my  watch  and  the  loud  beating  of  my 
heart  seemed  insupportable.  Leaning  out  from 
the  casement,  I  could  see  that  Peyton's  window, 
too,  was  open,  and  that  there  was  a  little  shed  of 
some  kind  beneath  it,  whose  roof  reached  up  to 
within  about  five  feet  of  the  window-sill.  Gar- 
den-tools were  probably  stored  there,  as  I  had 
noticed  a  few  spades  and  a  wheelbarrow  during 
the  day.  Peyton  was  still  snoring,  though  less 
loudly. 

I  listened  for  ten  minutes  more,  and  still  no 
sound  came  from  the  direction  in  which  I  had 
heard  the  whistle,  save  the  distant  neigh  of  a 
horse  and  the  occasional  barking  of  dogs.  Yet 
my  nerves  were  upset.  That  whistle  must  have 
been  a  signal  of  some  kind,  and,  if  so,  what  did 
it  portend  ?  At  last,  being  unable  to  arrive  at 
any  conclusion,  I  determined  to  lie  down  and 
think  it  over;  and  so,  taking  off  coat  and  waist- 
coat, and  putting  on  a  loose  wrapper,  I  threw 
myself  upon  the  bed.  It  must  have  been  after 
midnight  then,  yet  I  could  not  sleep,  and  at  the 
same  time  thinking  was  an  effort.  I  found  my- 
self listening  intently  for  every  sound,  and  hold- 


48  KITTY'S   CONqUEST. 

ing  my  breath  every  time  the  distant  bark  of  a 
dog  or  the  lowing  of  cattle  was  heard. 

An  hour  passed ;  nothing  farther  happened ; 
and  I  began  to  feel  drowsy  at  last  and  to  regard 
myself  as  the  easiest  man  to  scare  in  the  whole 
county.  Soon  after,  I  must  have  fallen  into  a 
doze;  an  uneasy,  fitful  slumber  it  must  have 
been,  too;  for  the  very  next  thing  I  knew  I  found 
myself  sitting  bolt  upright;  every  nerve  strained; 
and  listening  with  beating  heart  to  the  same 
signal  whistle ;  only  this  time,  though  low  and 
cautious,  it  was  nearer;  and,  unless  I  was  vastly 
mistaken,  came  from  a  little  clump  of  trees  just 
beyond  the  eastern  fence.  Harrod's  big  New- 
foundland, who  always  slept  on  the  porch  in 
front  of  the  house,  and  seldom,  if  ever,  barked 
or  made  any  disturbance  at  night,  came  tearing 
around  to  our  side,  growling  fiercely,  and  evi- 
dently excited  and  alarmed. 

Something  was  up,  that  was  certain;  and  im- 
mediately I  began  to  wonder  what  ought  to  be 
done.  The  call  was  not  repeated ;  all  was  soon 
quiet  again.  "Blondo"  had  given  one  or  two 
low,  short  barks ;  scouted  through  the  grounds 
about  the  house ;  and  returned  to  the  southern 
front  again.  After  one  or  two  moments'  consid- 
eration he  had  given  another,  a  sort  of  interrog- 
atory bark,  as  though  he  expected  a  reply ;  and 
then,  with  a  dissatisfied  sniff  at  hearing  noth- 
ing further,  slowly  returned  to  his  usual  post* 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  49 

Blonde's  nerves  were  better  than  mine.  I 
thought  over  the  matter  ten  minutes  longer  in 
the  most  undecided  manner  imaginable.  Harrod 
had  plainly  intimated  that  he  suspected  Mr.  Pey- 
ton of  complicity  with  the  Ku-Klux  or  I  would 
have  awakened  him ;  as  it  was,  I  was  possessed 
with  the  idea  that  he  ought  to  know  nothing  of 
our  suspicions,  nothing  of  the  anonymous  letter 
(from  us,  at  least),  and  in  no  manner  or  way  be 
admitted  to  confidence.  Rather  hard  on  Peyton, 
to  be  sure ;  but  there  was  something  about  him  I 
didn't  like,  something  besides  the  mere  fact  that 

I  saw  he  didn't  like  me,  and What  was 

that !  There  could  be  no  mistake !  I  plainly 
saw  through  my  open  window  a  sudden  gleam 
of  light  among  the  leaves  of  the  oak-tree  on  the 
other  side  of  the  garden-walk.  It  was  as  though 
the  light  had  been  momentarily  thrown  upon  it 
from  a  bull's-eye  lantern  and  instantly  with- 
drawn. More  than  that,  the  light  was  thrown 
upon  it  from  this  side.  Thoroughly  aroused 
now,  I  stole  noiselessly  from  the  bed ;  took  my 
revolver ;  and,  making  the  least  possible  "  creak" 
in  turning  the  key,  I  slowly  opened  my  door,  and 
on  tiptoe  and  in  stocking  feet  crept  out  into  the 
hall.  My  plan  was  to  go  and  arouse  Harrod. 

Without  closing  my  door  I  turned  stealthily 

away ;  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  stumbled  over 

one  of  my  boots.     There  they  were,  right  at  the 

door,  just  where  I  had  left  them,  and  visible 

c      d  5 


50  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

enough  for  all  practical  purposes  in  the  dim 
light  that  came  from  my  open  doorway  and  the 
window  at  the  end  of  the  hall.  It  was  clumsy 
and  stupid  in  rue.  I  looked  towards  Peyton's 
door,  wondering  if  the  noise,  slight  as  it  was, 
had  awakened  him.  No  more  snoring,  at  all 
events.  I  took  a  step  or  two  towards  his  room 
to  listen,  looked  carefully  down  to  see  that  I 
didn't  stumble  over  his  boots  too,  and  then 
stopped  short. 

Peyton's  boots  were  no  longer  there. 

For  a  moment  I  could  not  realize  it;  then  I 
stole  closer  to  the  door,  and  the  door  that  I  knew 
was  tightly  closed  when  I  came  up-stairs  was 
now  unlatched  and  partly  open.  The  conviction 
forced  itself  into  my  mind  that  my  next-door 
neighbor  was  up  to  some  of  his  old  devilment, 
and  that  that  signal  whistle  had  some  connection 
with  the  mysterious  disappearance  of  his  boots. 
Peeping  through  the  partly-opened  door,  I  could 
see  the  bed,  its  coverlet  undisturbed,  its  pillows 
smooth  and  untouched.  That  was  enough  to 
embolden  me,  and  at  the  same  time  make  me 
mad.  All  that  snoring  was  a  counterfeit  for  my 
benefit,  was  it  ?  I  opened  the  door  and  looked 
in :  no  signs  of  its  late  occupant ;  Ned  Peyton 
had  gone. 

Sorely  puzzled  what  to  do  next,  I  sidled  out 
again;  sneaked  out,  I  might  as  well  say,  for 
that's  the  way  I  felt ;  and  leaving  his  door  as  I 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  51 

found  it,  returned  to  my  own  room  and  took 
post  at  the  window.  Curiously  enough,  the  dis- 
covery of  Peyton's  absence  and  his  probable 
connection  with  the  mysterious  signals  without, 
had  had  a  wonderful  effect  in  restoring  me  to 
confidence  and  endowing  me  with  a  fabulous 
amount  of  pluck  and  courage.  The  idea  of 
summoning  Harrod  was  abandoned;  the  thing 
to  be  done  now  was  to  find  out  what  my  ami- 
able next-door  neighbor  was  up  to ;  and,  if  pos- 
sible, to  do  so  without  letting  him  know  that  his 
nice  little  game  was  detected. 

A  clock  somewhere  in  the  hall  struck  three 
while  I  was  pondering  over  the  matter.  Ten 
minutes  afterwards  there  came  a  stealthy  step 
on  the  garden-walk,  and  the  figure  of  a  man 
emerged  from  behind  an  old  arbor  near  the  oak- 
tree.  It  was  Peyton,  of  course,  although  the 
light  was  too  uncertain  to  admit  of  my  recog- 
nizing him  until  he  came  nearer. 

I  crouched  down  lower,  but  kept  him  in  view. 
Cautiously  and  slowly  Master  Ned  tiptoed  it  up 
to  the  little  tool-house  under  his  window;  swung 
himself  carefully  up  to  the  roof;  crept  on  all- 
fours  until  he  reached  the  top ;  and  then,  making 
very  little  noise,  clambered  into  his  window  and 
disappeared  from  view.  A  moment  or  two  after, 
I  heard  him  softly  deposit  his  boots  in  the  hall ; 
close  and  bolt  his  door;  and  soon  after  tumble 
into  bed.  Evidently,  then,  we  had  nothing  fur- 


52  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

ther  to  fear  for  that  night  at  least ;  and  in  fifteen 
minutes  I  was  sound  asleep. 

At  breakfast  the  next  morning  the  household 
generally  put  in  a  late  appearance.  Peyton  es- 
tablished himself  at  Miss  Kitty's  side  and  mo- 
nopolized her  in  the  most  lover-like  manner. 
Immediately  afterwards  the  pair  sallied  forth  for 
a  walk.  Miss  Summers  looked  very  anxiously 
after  them  until  they  disappeared  in  the  shrub- 
bery, and  then  turned  to  Harrod  with  an  appeal- 
ing look  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  do,  Harrod.  I  didn't 
imagine  the  possibility  of  his  coming  back  here 
when  we  invited  Kitty." 

"Don't  worry  about  it,  Pauline.  Mr.  Bran- 
don and  I  are  going  to  drive  over  to  the  cavalry 
camp  this  morning,  and  this  afternoon  I'll  have 
a  talk  with  Ned.  How  soon  can  you  get  through 
your  talk  with  father?"  he  suddenly  asked,  turn- 
ing to  me. 

"  Twenty  minutes  at  most  will  be  long  enough," 
I  answered ;  so  he  sent  off  to  the  stable  to  order 
the  carriage. 

The  judge  and  I  strolled  slowly  around  the 
house,  planning  the  course  to  be  pursued  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  men  who  had  been  arrested 
under  the  "  enforcement  act."  As  we  sauntered 
along  the  garden-walk  on  the  eastern  side,  I  nat- 
urally glanced  up  at  my  window  and  Peyton's. 
A  coarse  brown  envelope  was  lying  right  at  the 


KiTTrs  coNquEST.  53 

door  of  the  little  tool-house,  the  very  place  where 
he  had  clambered  to  the  roof  the  night  before. 
"  We  lawyers  are  curious,"  and,  without  inter- 
rupting the  judge's  conversation,  I  "obliqued" 
over  to  the  left;  picked  up  the  envelope;  dropped 
it  carelessly  into  my  pocket;  and  went  on  talk- 
ing without  having  attracted  the  judge's  atten- 
tion to  the  movement. 

After  the  judge  had  returned  to  his  study,  and 
before  Harrod  was  ready,  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  investigating  this  precious  document.  It  only 
needed  a  glance  to  assure  me  that  it  was  just 
such  another  envelope  as  the  one  which  inclosed 
the  Ku-Klux  letter  to  the  judge  that  Harrod  had 
shown  me,  and  that  fact  was  sufficient  to  remove 
any  scruples  I  might  have  had  as  to  reading  its 
contents.  The  envelope  bore  no  mark  or  address. 
The  inclosure  was  as  follows : 

"  CAPTAIN  PEYTON  : 

"DEAR  SIR, — The  Yankee  major,  with  forty 
of  his  men,  went  off  in  a  hurry  late  last  night, 
leaving  the  lieutenant  and  about  ten  men  in 
camp.  They're  after  Hank  and  the  crowd,  but 
we  got  notice  in  time,  broke  up  the  ranch, 
and  scattered.  Hank's  wound  is  pretty  rough ; 
he  played  a  d — d  fool  trick  in  trying  to  get 
that  express  money,  and  the  boys  all  think 
he'd  been  drinking  again.  Three  of  us  took 
him  over  the  Big  Bear  in  ScantwelPs  boat,  and 

5* 


54  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

on  up  to  Chickasaw.  He  sent  me  back  from 
there  to  see  you  and  tell  you  to  watch  out  for 
every  chance  to  get  word  to  him.  He'll  be  at 
Eustice's,  across  the  Tennessee,  until  his  arm  is 
well ;  and  then  he's  coming  back  to  get  square 
with  the  Yank  who  shot  him.  The  lieutenant 
has  got  an  infernal  bad  cut  on  the  left  hand,  and 
can't  do  nothing  for  the  next  week.  Look  out 
for  signal  any  night  about  two  o'clock.  Burn  this. 
"  Yours  respectfully, 

"  BLACKEY." 

Here  was  a  pretty  piece  of  villainy.  I  thought 
earnestly  whether  to  show  it  immediately  to 
Harrod  and  make  a  full  expos&  of  Peyton's  com- 
plicity with  the  affair ;  but,  before  I  could  decide, 
the  carriage  came ;  and  with  the  driver  listening 
to  every  word  that  was  said,  it  was  out  of  the 
question.  It  was  scandalous  enough  as  it  stood 
without  letting  the  servants  know  of  it.  "We 
talked  a  good  deal  about  their  general  perform- 
ances, but  in  no  way  alluded  to  the  latest  devel- 
opments of  the  Klan  as  we  drove  rapidly  along. 
Neither  expected  to  find  Major  Yinton  there  at 
camp;  but  I  had  reason  to  know  that  Amory 
would  be  on  hand,  and  had  determined  to  give 
him  immediate  information  as  to  the  whereabouts 
of  Smith  that  he  might  send  out  a  party  to  secure, 
him. 

Sure  enough,  only  one  or  two  soldiers  were  to 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  55 

be  seen  when  we  drove  up,  but  a  corporal  took 
us  to  Amory's  tent.  He  sprang  up  from  the 
little  camp-bed  in  which  he  was  lounging  and 
reading;  gave  us  a  cordial  welcome;  and,  in 
reply  to  our  questions,  stated  that  the  major  had 
gone  out  with  three  days'  rations  and  nearly  all 
the  men,  hoping  to  hunt  up  and  capture  the 
gang.  A  United  States  marshal  was  with  him, 
who  felt  certain  that  he  could  guide  him  to  the 
very  point  on  the  bayou  where  the  fight  had 
taken  place.  He  had  started  about  three  o'clock 
on  the  previous  morning,  just  as  soon  as  rations 
could  be  cooked,  and  was  determined  to  hunt 
them  to  their  holes. 

"  I  expect  him  back  every  hour,  and  am  dis- 
gusted enough  at  being  ordered  to  stay  behind ; 
but  he  and  the  doctor  both  forbade  my  going, 
so  here  I  am  playing  the  invalid."  His  arm  was 
still  in  a  sling  and  the  hand  closely  bound. 

We  sat  and  chatted  for  some  twenty  minutes. 
Amory  inquired  after  "  the  young  ladies"  very 
calmly ;  made  no  allusion  to  Miss  Kitty's  snub ; 
accounted  for  his  non-appearance  the  day  before 
by  saying  that  the  doctor  had  insisted  on  his 
remaining  quiet  in  his  tent ;  and  so  neither  Har- 
rod  nor  I  saw  fit  to  make  any  apology  for  our 
troublesome  little  heroine.  She  was  worrying 
all  of  us  now, — innocently  enough  perhaps,  but 
sorely  for  all  that. 

Harrod  turned  the  subject  to  Hank  Smith ; 


56  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

and,  finding  that  Amory  had  not  heard  of  his 
threat  as  related  by  the  man  whom  his  friends 
had  "  fetched  a  wipe  over  the  head,"  repeated  it 
to  him,  and  warned  him  to  be  on  his  guard. 
Mars  took  it  coolly  enough ;  expressed  his  readi- 
ness to  welcome  Hank  and  his  adherents  to 
hospitable  graves;  and,  except  that  his  teeth 
came  as  solidly  together  as  they  had  when  allud- 
ing to  the  ruffian's  escape  two  nights  previous, 
displayed  no  symptoms  of  the  slightest  emotion 
at  the  prospect  of  losing  a  quart  or  two  of  "  heart's- 
blood"  within  the  month. 

Presently  Harrod  drove  off  to  the  village  to 
make  some  necessary  purchases,  promising  to 
return  for  me  within  an  hour.  Then  I  lost  not 
a  moment  in  giving  Mars  my  information  about 
Hank  Smith;  where  he  was  to  be  found,  etc., 
but  without  mentioning  Peyton's  connection 
with  the  affair  or  stating  how  the  news  came  into 
my  possession.  He  asked,  of  course,  but  I  gave 
a  good  reason  for  declining  to  name  the  person 
who  had  volunteered  the  news,  at  the  same  time 
assuring  him  of  my  belief  in  its  truth. 

Mars  was  all  ablaze  in  a  minute.  Chickasaw 
was  at  least  twelve  miles  away  and  to  the  north. 
Vinton's  plan,  and  the  marshal's,  was  to  go  south- 
west, should  they  find  the  ranch  abandoned,  and 
search  a  number  of  suspected  points  in  Tisho- 
mingo  and  Prentiss  Counties.  All  the  gang  by 
this  time  knew  that  there  was  a  hunt  going  on, 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  57 

and,  at  the  cry  of  "  Yanks  coming,"  had  scat- 
tered in  every  direction.  Smith  thought  himself 
safe  across  the  Tennessee,  and  would  probably 
have  onl}7  one  or  two  men  with  him.  Amory  was 
fairly  excited  this  time  anyhow,  and  in  ten  min- 
utes had  made  up  his  mind ;  gave  his  orders  to 
a  non-commissioned  officer,  wrote  a  letter  to 
Major  Vinton,  with  instructions  to  deliver  it 
immediately  upon  the  return  of  the  troop  to 
camp,  and  before  Harrod  Summers'  return,  had 
vaulted  lightly  into  saddle,  waved  me  a  laugh- 
ing good-by,  and  trotted  off  at  the  head  of  a  little 
squad  of  five  dragoons, — all  the  men  he  could 
possibly  take.  I  watched  them  till  they  disap- 
peared from  view  on  the  road  to  the  Tennessee 
and  then  sat  me  down  to  wait  for  Harrod. 

The  corporal  who  had  shown  us  to  Amory's 
tent  was  on  "  sick-report"  he  said,  with  chills 
and  fever.  He,  with  three  or  four  others,  re- 
mained in  charge  of  camp,  and  I  amused  myself 
listening  to  their  talk  about  their  officers  and  the 
Ku-Klux.  An  old  darky  on  a  mule  came  in  to 
sell  chickens,  and  after  him,  a  seedy-looking 
fellow  on  a  shaggy  pony, — he  "  didn't  want 
nothing  in  particular,  unless  it  was  to  know 
when  the  captain'd  be  back." 

The  corporal  was  non-committal, — didn't  know. 
The  seedy  party  shifted  around  in  his  saddle, 
and,  after  profuse  expectoration,  "  reckoned  that 
the  lieutenant  warn't  much  hurt  nohow." 


58  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

"  Why  so  ?"  says  the  corporal. 

"  'Cause  he's  off  so  quick  again." 

"  That  don't  prove  anything,"  says  the  dragoon. 

"  Whar's  he  gone  to  ?"  says  Seedy. 

"  Don't  know." 

"  Ain't  gone  far,  I  reckon ;  didn't  take  no  ra- 
tions, did  he  ?" 

"  Don't  know." 

"  I  kind  of  wondered  why  he  took  the  north 
road/wr,  if  he  wanted  to  catch  the  captain,  'cause 
I  knew  he  was  out  towards  Guntown." 

"How  did  you  know  ?" 

"  Well,  I  heard  so,  that's  all." 

The  corporal  looks  steadily  at  Seedy,  and  is 
apparently  suspicious.  Seedy  turns  his  quid  over 
with  his  tongue  and  looks  all  around.  He's 
a  bad  hand  at  extracting  information,  at  all  events. 
At  last  he  makes  another  venture. 

"  Wish  I  knew  how  far  up  the  north  road  the 
lieutenant  went.  I've  got  some  business  up  to- 
wards the  Tennessee.  I  belong  to  a  missionary 
society  hereabouts,  and  yet  I  don't  like  to  take 
that  long  ride  alone." 

I  hear  the  corporal  mutter  a  rather  unflatter- 
ing comment  on  that  statement;  and  it  occurs 
to  me  that  there  is  more  of  the  odor  of  bad 
whiskey  than  sanctity  about  the  member  of 
the  missionary  society.  He  reminds  me  of 
Mr.  Stiggins ;  and  Mr.  Stiggins  makes  one  more 
attempt. 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  59 

"  Whar  am  I  most  like  to  catch  the  boys  by 
dinner-time  ?" 

"  Don't  know." 

The  member  looks  incredulous  and  indignant ; 
and  after  a  long  survey  of  every  object  in  range 
about  the  camp,  turns  his  dejected  steed  slowly 
around  and  shambles  off,  with  the  parting  shot, — 

"  Reckon  you  never  did  know  nothin',  did 
you  ?"  To  which  the  corporal  responds, — 

"No;  and  if  I  did,  I  wouldn't  tell  you, 
Johnny." 

Stiggins  strikes  a  canter  on  reaching  the  main 
road,  and  disappears  on  the  trail  of  the  cavalry. 
Presently  Harrod  returns,  greatly  surprised  at 
Amory's  sudden  expedition,  and  curious  as  to 
the  source  from  which  he  derives  his  information. 
I  hardly  know  what  to  say,  but  finally  get  out  of 
it  by  the  explanation  that  it  was  all  "  confiden- 
tial," and  that  I  could  say  nothing  on  the  subject 
until  his  return. 

On  the  drive  home  we  come  suddenly  upon  the 
troop  itself,  looking  tired  and  dusty,  but  return- 
ing from  the  two  days'  trip  to  Tishomingo  par- 
tially successful,  and  with  six  rough-looking 
specimens  of  "  corn-crackers"  footing  it  along 
between  the  horsemen.  They  found  no  trace  of 
Smith,  the  marshal  tells  us,  as  the  men  go  filing 
by;  but,  after  all,  their  luck  has  been  good,  and 
six  of  the  worst  characters  are  now  securely 
under  guard 


60  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

The  major,  he  tells  us,  had  stopped  at  Judge 
Summers's,  and  expected  to  find  us  there ;  so  we 
whip  up  and  hurry  on. 

A  brisk  drive  brings  us  to  the  plantation  in  a 
very  few  minutes.  As  we  rattle  up  to  the  door- 
way, Harrod  catches  sight  of  Mr.  Peyton  loung- 
ing on  the  portico  by  the  open  window  of  the 
parlor,  for  once  in  his  life  paying  little  or  no  at- 
tention to  Miss  Kitty,  who  is  seated  on  the  old 
wicker-work  sofa,  some  distance  from  him,  pout- 
ing and  puzzled. 

Harrod  warns  me  to  say  not  a  word  of  Lieu- 
tenant Amory's  expedition  until  Peyton  is  out  of 
the  way.  Old  Jake  detains  him  a  moment  about 
"  dis  yer  Hicks's  mule  done  broke  into  the 
gyarden  las'  night,"  and  I  move  on  into  the  house. 

In  the  parlor  are  the  judge,  Major  Vinton,  and 
Pauline  ;  the  first  listening,  the  second  narrating, 
the  third  as  complete  a  contrast  to  Miss  Kit  as 
can  be  imagined.  Vinton  rises  and  greets  me. 
He  looks  dusty,  tanned,  and  travel-stained,  but 
more  soldierly  than  ever  in  his  dark-blue  jacket 
and  heavy  boots.  After  Harrod's  entrance  he 
resumes  his  story, — he  was  telling  of  the  capture 
of  the  Ku-Klux, — talking  frankly  and  as  though 
none  but  friends  were  near.  Harrod  shifts  un- 
easily in  his  chair  and  glances  nervously  towards 
the  window.  Peyton  is  invisible,  but,  beyond 
doubt,  there,  and  a  listener. 

It  is  vain  to  attempt  to  warn  the  major;   by 


KITTF'S   CONQUEST.  61 

this  time  Peyton  knows  the  whole  story,  knows 
who  had  aided  the  troops  in  their  search,  knows 
just  how  the  evidence  was  procured  which  led  to 
the  arrest  of  the  six  victims,  and  doubtless  his 
•black-list  is  swelled  by  the  addition  of  several 
names  destined  to  become  the  recipients  of  Ku- 
Elux  attentions. 

Lunch  is  announced,  and  we  all  sit  down  at 
the  table,  Peyton  and  Kit  coming  in  from  the 
porch  and  endeavoring  to  ignore  Major  Vinton, 
a  circumstance  which  apparently  renders  him  no 
uneasiness  whatever.  He  talks  constantly  with 
Pauline,  and  never  gives  a  glance  at  the  pair. 
Harrod  and  I  are  nervous.  I  watch  Peyton 
closely,  and  it  requires  no  penetration  to  see  that 
not  a  word  of  Yinton's  is  lost  on  him. 

Suddenly  there  comes  the  clatter  of  hoofs  on 
the  ground  without ;  the  clank  of  a  cavalry  sabre, 
and,  a  moment  after,  the  ring  of  spurred  heels 
along  the  hall.  A  servant  announces  the  major's 
orderly;  and,  begging  the  major  not  to  rise,  the 
judge  directs  that  the  trooper  be  shown  in. 

Just  as  I  thought,  it  is  Amory's  letter. 

"  Sergeant  Malone  said  that  it  was  to  be  given 
the  major  directly  he  returned.  Them  was  the 
loot'nant's  orders,  and  he  told  me  to  ride  right 
over  with  it,  sir,"  says  the  orderly.  And,  apolo- 
gizing to  Miss  Summers,  the  major  opens  it  and 
begins  to  read. 

I  glance  at  Harrod;   his   eyes  are  fixed  on 

6 


62  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

Peyton;  Peyton's  furtively  watching  Vinton, 
Another  minute  and  Vinton  has  risen  to  his 
feet;  an  eager,  flashing  light  in  his  eyes,  but  his 
voice  steady  and  calm  as  ever,  as  he  says, — 

"  Gallop  back.  Tell  Sergeant  Malone  to  send 
me  a  dozen  men,  armed  and  mounted  at  once, 
and  you  bring  my  other  horse."  Away  goes  the 
orderly,  and  then  in  reply  to  the  wistful  look  of 
inquiry  in  Pauline's  eyes,  the  major  says, — 

"  I  must  be  off  again.  Amory  has  obtained 
information  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  Smith  and 
some  of  his  gang,  and  has  started  after  them, 
but  with  only  five  men,  too  few  to  cope  with  such 
desperadoes.  He  has  four  hours  the  start  of  me 
now,  and  'twill  be  nearly  five  before  my  men  can 
get  here ;  but  I  must  reach  him  before  he  attempts 
to  recross  the  Tennessee." 

I  cannot  be  mistaken  in  Peyton's  start  of 
astonishment.  Instantly  his  face  turns  pale ; 
the  secret  is  out,  his  complicity  perhaps  detected. 
Lunch  is  forgotten,  and  we  all  rise  and  leave  the 
table.  Harrod  manages  to  whisper  a  caution  to 
the  major  to  say  nothing  more  while  Peyton  is 
near,  whereat  Yinton  looks  vacant  and  aghast. 
Five  minutes  more  and  Peyton  and  Kitty  are 
missed, — gone  out  for  a  walk,  the  servant  says. 
Then  Harrod  explains,  and  Vinton  looks  as 
though  biting  his  own  tongue  off  close  to  the 
roots  would  be  the  most  congenial  and  exhil- 
arating recreation  that  could  be  suggested.  He 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  63 

is  annoyed  beyond  expression,  but  it  is  too  late 
now.  Peyton  is  off ;  no  one  knows  which  way, 
and  in  half  an  hour  all  the  real  or  supposable 
Ku-Klux  in  the  county  will  know  of  the  danger 
that  threatens  them;  know,  too,  how  small  a 
force  young  Amory  has  taken  with  him  in  his 
hurried  raid  to  the  Tennessee ;  and,  ten  to  one, 
if  he  succeed  in  capturing  Smith,  he  cannot 
attempt  to  recross  the  river  without  having  to 
fight  his  way  through. 

All  this  is  canvassed  in  the  anxious  council 
that  ensues.  No  time  is  to  be  lost ;  he  must  be 
reinforced  at  once.  Harrod  orders  out  his  two 
horses ;  old  Jake  is  hastily  summoned  and  told 
to  bring  up  his  charger,  "  Bob" ;  and  while  the 
horses  are  being  saddled,  Yinton  decides  on  his 
plan.  He  and  Harrod  are  to  gallop  on  after 
Amory;  old  Jake  to  ride  down  to  meet  the 
troopers,  with  orders  to  make  all  speed  possible 
to  the  Tennessee.  I  am  possessed  with  an  im- 
mediate thirst  for  human  gore,  and  want  to  go 
with  the  major;  but  there  is  no  other  horse,  and 
I  couldn't  ride  without  shaking  myself  to  pieces 
and  capsizing  every  hundred  yards  or  so  if  there 
were.  To  me,  therefore,  is  assigned  the  cheerful 
duty  of  remaining  at  the  plantation  and  watching 
Peyton's  movements  should  he  return. 

Just  before  the  horses  are  brought  around, 
Kitty  comes  back,  alone.  She  looks  white  and 
scared,  and  hurries  up  the  steps  as  though  anx- 


64  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

ious  to  avoid  us,  but  Harrod  intercepts  and  leads 
her  to  one  side.  She  grows  paler  as  he  questions 
and  talks  to  her ;  and  suddenly  bursts  into  tears, 
and  rushes  past  him  into  the  house. 

"  He's  gone,  by  heaven !"  says  Harrod,  as  he 
rejoins  us.  "  Kitty  says  he  took  the  overseer's 
horse  and  galloped  off  towards  the  north." 

"  Here,  Jake,"  says  Vinton,  "  waste  no  time 
now ;  ride  as  though  the  devil  chased  you.  Tell 
Sergeant  Malone  to  follow  as  fast  as  he  can. 
Don't  spare  the  horses !" 

Jake  makes  a  spring;  lights  on  his  stomach 
on  old  "  Bob's"  withers ;  swings  himself  round ; 
and  barely  waiting  to  get  his  seat,  makes  vigor- 
ous play  with  both  heels  on  his  pet's  astonished 
nbs.  and  with  a  "Yoop,  da!"  our  Ethiopian 
aiue-de-camp  clatters  away.  Then  comes  a  hur- 
ried and  anxious  leave-taking  with  Pauline  and 
the  judge,  and  in  another  minute  our  two  sol- 
diers trot  out  to  the  road.  We  watch  the  gallant 
forms  till  the  riders  disappear,  and  then  turn 
silently  away.  Pauline's  eyes  are  dim  with  tears, 
and  she  seeks  her  own  room. 

That  was  a  wretched  afternoon  and  evening. 
Kitty  never  appeared.  Pauline  came  down  to 
tea  and  tried  to  entertain  me  during  the  long 
hours  that  dragged  slowly  away ;  but  we  started 
at  every  sound,  and  when  midnight  came  she  re- 
tired altogether.  We  had  hoped  for  news,  but 
none  reached  us. 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  65 

The  judge  dozed  fitfully  in  his  easy-chair,  but 
I  was  too  much  excited  to  feel  the  least  drowsi- 
ness; so,  cigar  in  mouth,  I  strolled  out  to  the 
gate  and  gazed  longingly  up  the  dim,  shadowy 
vista  through  the  woods  where  lay  the  road  to 
the  Tennessee  along  which  our  first  news,  good 
or  bad,  must  come. 

Two  o'clock  came  first,  and  I  was  then  read- 
ing, in  a  distracted  style,  in  the  library.  The 
clocks  had  barely  ceased  striking  when  my  eager 
ears  caught  the  sound  of  hoof-beats  rapidly 
nearing  us.  Down  went  the  book;  and  in  a 
minute  I  was  at  the  gate,  just  in  time  to  meet 
the  horseman,  a  corporal  of  Vinton's  troop. 

"We've  got  the  Ku-Klux  all  right,  sir,"  he 
says,  as  he  reins  in  his  jaded  steed,  "  but  we 
had  to  fight  half  the  county.  The  lieutenant's 
wounded,  and  so  is  Monahan,  one  of  the  men, 
sir.  They  are  bringing  them  here,  and  I'm  to 
ride  right  on  for  the  doctor." 

OS  he  goes  before  I  can  ask  more.  Pauline 
meets  me  as  I  return  to  the  hall.  She  is  pale  as 
death  and  her  whole  frame  shakes  as  she  says, 
"  Tell  me  everything,  Mr.  Brandon." 

"  Harrod  and  Yinton  are  safe ;  Amory  and 
one  of  his  men  are  hurt,  and  they  are  bringing 
them  here,"  I  answer. 

She  saw  by  my  face  that  there  had  been  a 
fight.  "What  her  woman's  heart  craved,  was  to 
know  that  those  she  loved  were  safe,  unhurt, 
«  6* 


66  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

and  returning  to  her.  Then  the  next  minute 
she  is  all  sympathy,  all  tenderness,  even,  for  our 
boy  sabreur;  and  she  occupies  herself  with  prep- 
arations for  his  reception  and  nursing. 

While  we  are  talking,  who  should  come  noise- 
lessly down  the  stairs  but  Kitty,  dressed  in  a 
loose  blue  wrapper ;  her  lovely  hair  falling  down 
her  back  and  thrown  from  her  temples  and  fore- 
head, her  eyes  red  with  weeping.  Pauline's 
heart  is  full,  and  the  sight  of  this  sorrowing 
little  object  is  too  much  for  her ;  she  opens  her 
arms  and  takes  her  to  her  heart,  and  Kitty's  sobs 
break  out  afresh. 

"I  know  that  something  has  happened,"  she 
cries;  "do  tell  me.  You  all  think  I  care  forced 
Peyton,  but  I  don't — I  don't  I  And  he  was  fright- 
ful to-day,  and — and — if  he  did  what  he  said  he 
was  going  to  do  I'll  never  speak  to  him  again." 

Pauline  tries  to  comfort  and  soothe  her,  but  I 
want  to  know  what  Peyton's  threat  was;  and 
have  the  unblushing  hard-heartedness  to  ask. 

"  He  declared  that  he  would  raise  forty  men 
and  kill  every  man  Lieutenant  Amory  had  with 
him.  He  frightened  me  so  that  I  did  not  know 
what  to  do.  Oh,  Paulie,  what  has  happened  ?" 

"We  don't  know  yet,  Kitty.  Harrod  is  bring- 
ing Mr.  Amory  here.  He  was  wounded,  and 
there  has  been  a  fight,  but  we  hope  it  was  not 
serious." 

Poor  little  Kit  starts  back  in  horror,  and  then 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  (J7 

soba  harder  than  ever.  It  is  impossible  to  com- 
fort the  child.  She  is  possessed  with  the  idea 
that  in  some  way  or  other  she  has  been  instru- 
mental in  bringing  the  affair  about.  She  is  ter- 
rified at  learning  the  part  Peyton  has  played, 
and  bitterly  reproaches  herself  for  the  uneasiness 
her  flirtation  had  caused  us  all.  She  is  the  most 
abject  little  penitent  I  ever  saw,  and  her  distress 
is  something  overpowering  to  a  susceptible  old 
bachelor.  In  the  course  of  an  hour  she  is  per- 
suaded to  return  to  her  room,  but  not  without 
the  interchange  of  multitudinous  embraces  and 
kisses, — Pauline,  of  course,  being  the  party  of 
the  second  part. 

It  is  nearly  daybreak  when  Harrod  arrives, 
convoying  a  rusty  old  carriage  which  he  has  ob- 
tained somewhere  along  the  Tennessee;  and  from 
this  our  young  soldier  is  tenderly  lifted  by  two 
of  his  troop  and  carried  to  the  room  opposite 
mine  in  the  wing.  Poor  fellow!  it  is  hard  to 
recognize  in  the  pallid,  blood-stained,  senseless 
form  the  gallant  young  officer  of  the  night  on 
the  train. 

While  the  doctor  was  examining  his  hurts  and 
dressing  the  wounds,  Harrod  gave  me  a  hurried 
account  of  what  had  happened.  Amory  had 
reached  the  Tennessee  about  two  in  the  after- 
noon, and,  leaving  his  horses  on  the  south  bank 
in  charge  of  one  man,  crossed  quickly  and  com- 
pletely took  "  Eustice's"  with  its  precious  garri- 


68  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

son  of  desperadoes  by  surprise.  Luckily,  Smith 
liad  but  two  of  his  gang  with  him.  They  hardly 
had  time  to  think  of  resistance.  Hank  was  found 
stretched  out  in  bed  and  swearing  cheerfully 
over  the  unexpected  turn  of  affairs,  but  had 
sense  enough  to  acknowledge  that  his  Yankee 
adversary  "  had  the  drop  on  him,"  and  surren- 
dered at  discretion.  Securing  him  and  his  two 
chums,  but  leaving  the  other  inmates  of  "  Eus- 
tice's"  unmolested,  Amory  in  less  than  an  hour 
and  a  half  landed  his  party  once  more  on  the 
south  bank,  and,  after  procuring  food  for  his 
men  and  horses  and  resting  another  hour,  started 
on  the  back-track  about  five  in  the  evening; 
moving  slowly,  as  his  horses  were  jaded  and  his 
three  prisoners  had  to  foot  it. 

Their  road  was  bordered  by  thick  woods,  and 
ran  through  an  almost  uninhabited  tract.  Hank 
was  suffering  apparently  a  great  deal  of  pain 
from  the  fever  of  his  wound,  and,  after  sullenly 
plodding  along  about  a  mile,  began  showing 
signs  of  great  distress.  He  was  offered  a  horse, 
but  declared  that  riding  would  hurt  him  just  as 
much,  and  finally  stopped  short,  swearing  that 
"  Ef  you  un's  expects  to  git  me  to  yer  d — d  camp 
this  yer  night  you've  got  to  do  a  heap  of  toting." 
Finding  that  he  was  really  weak  and  sick,  Amory 
was  too  soft-hearted  to  insist;  and  so  a  brief  halt 
was  ordered  while  one  of  the  men  went  in  search 
of  a  farm-wagon.  Just  at  night-fall  a  horseman 


KITTF'S   CONQUEST.  69 

came  cantering  rapidly  up  the  road,  at  sight  of 
whom  the  prisoners  exchanged  quick,  eager 
glances  of  intelligence,  and  attempted  to  spring 
to  their  feet  and  attract  his  attention.  No  sooner, 
however,  had  he  espied  the  party  than  he  stopped 
short ;  reined  his  horse  about ;  and,  digging  spur 
into  him,  disappeared  at  a  gallop  into  the  shad- 
ows of  the  forest. 

The  whole  thing  was  so  sudden  that  no  pur- 
suit was  made.  Ten  minutes  after,  there  came 
the  distant  sound  of  a  shrill,  prolonged  whistle, 
and  Amory,  thoroughly  aroused,  ordered  a  mount 
and  immediate  start. 

Strange  to  say,  Hank  moved  on  with  great 
alacrity.  No  man  ever  rose  from  so  brief  a  rest 
so  thoroughly  invigorated.  Once  or  twice  more 
the  same  whistle  was  heard,  but  nothing  could 
be  seen,  as  darkness  had  set  in. 

Silently  and  anxiously  the  little  party  moved 
on,  Amory  riding  several  yards  in  advance,  peer- 
ing cautiously  about  and  listening  eagerly  to 
every  sound.  All  of  a  sudden  from  thick  dark- 
ness came  blinding  flashes, — the  ringing  reports 
of  musketry  and  pistols,  and  the  regular  old-time 
rebel  yell. 

Amory  reeled.  His  horse  reared  wildly,  and 
then,  with  a  snort  of  terror,  plunged  down  the 
road ;  his  rider  dragging  over  his  side. 

Of  the  next  five  minutes,  none  of  the  men  could 
give  a  collected  account.  The  sergeant  had  done 


70  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

nis  duty  well,  however;  had  kept  his  men  to- 
gether;  and,  what  with  superior  discipline  and 
the  rapid  fire  from  their  magazine  carbines,  his 
little  party  proved  too  plucky  for  their  assailants. 
There  was  a  sound  of  scrambling  and  scattering 
among  the  shrubbery  and  of  clambering  over  the 
rail-fence  by  the  roadside.  The  fire  suddenly 
ceased  and  the  troopers  were  masters  of  the  situ- 
ation. During  the  excitement,  one  of  the  pris- 
oners had  managed  to  crawl  off;  while  Hank  and 
the  other  specimen  adopted  the  tactics  of  throwing 
themselves  flat  on  their  faces.  The  soldiers  were 
eager  to  pursue  and  capture  some  of  the  band ; 
but  the  sergeant  was  wary  and  cautious;  kept 
them  on  the  defensive ;  secured  his  two  remain- 
ing prisoners;  and  was  just  about  ordering  a 
search  for  their  lieutenant,  when  the  well-known 
and  welcome  voice  of  the  major  was  heard  down 
the  road,  and  in  a  moment  he  and  Harrod  dashed 
up  to  the  spot.  Then  came  eager  inquiries  and 
the  search  for  Amory ;  and  presently  a  cry  from 
one  of  the  men  announced  that  he  was  found. 
Hurrying  to  the  spot,  they  discovered  him,  bleed- 
ing, bruised,  and  senseless,  by  the  roadside;  one 
deep  gash  was  cut  on  his  forehead,  from  which 
the  blood  was  oozing  rapidly ;  a  bullet-hole  and 
a  little  red  streak  in  the  shoulder  of  his  jacket 
told  where  one  at  least  of  the  ambuscading  vil- 
lains had  made  his  mark;  while  the  moan  of 
pain  that  followed  when  they  strove  tenderly  to 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  71 

raise  him  from  the  ground  proved  that  our  boy 
was  suffering  from  still  other  injuries;  but  for 
all  that,  thank  God !  alive,  perhaps  safe. 

It  was  long  before  the  men  could  find  a  farm- 
house ;  longer  still  before  they  came  in  with  the 
lumbering  old  rattletrap  of  a  carriage  which  their 
major  had  directed  them  to  secure  at  any  cost; 
and  all  this  time  poor  Amory  lay  with  his  head 
on  Yinton's  lap,  utterly  unconscious  of  the  lat- 
ter's  grief,  of  his  almost  womanly  tenderness; 
but  at  last  they  were  able  to  lift  him  into  the 
improvised  ambulance ;  and  while  the  troopers, 
now  reinforced  by  the  small  party  which  had 
followed  Yinton,  took  charge  of  the  prisoners, 
with  orders  to  turn  them  over  to  the  marshal  at 
Sandbrook,  the  others  drove  carefully  and  slowly 
homewards,  and  so  once  more  Mars  was  in  our 
midst, — now  our  pet  and  hero. 

All  night  long  we  watched  him.  All  next  day 
he  tossed  in  feverish  delirium ;  and  when  night 
came,  Yinton  and  Pauline  were  bending  over 
him  striving  to  soothe  and  calm  the  boy  in  his 
restless  pain.  He  spoke  but  little.  Muttered 
words,  half-broken  sentences,  incoherent  all  of 
them,  were  the  only  things  we  could  win  from 
him.  He  knew  none  of  us ;  though  he  appeared 
to  recognize  Yinton's  voice  better  than  any.  At 
last,  late  in  the  evening,  when  the  doctor  had 
forced  an  anodyne  between  his  set  teeth,  Amo- 
ry's  muscles  relaxed,  he  threw  his  unwounded 


72  KITTY1  S  CONqUEST. 

arm  wearily  over  his  face  and  murmured,  "I 
give  up, — I'm  whipped." 

Vinton  could  hardly  help  smiling.  "  He 
thinks  himself  in  one  of  his  old  cadet  fights," 
said  he.  "  Those  fellows  at  West  Point  settle 
all  difficulties  with  their  fists,  and  this  youngster 
was  eternally  in  some  row  or  other;  he'd  fight 
the  biggest  man  in  the  corps  on  the  slightest 
provocation." 

We  were  all  wearied  with  watching,  and  it 
was  a  glad  sight  when  our  pugilistic  patient 
dropped  off  into  a  deep  sleep.  Vinton  had  to 
go  back  to  camp  to  look  after  his  men.  Harrod 
was  tired  out  and  had  sought  his  room.  I  had 
agreed  to  sit  by  Amory's  bedside  until  midnight, 
as  they  had  expelled  me  from  the  sick-room  and 
made  me  sleep  all  morning  "  on  account  of  age." 
Pauline  was  just  giving  a  smoothing  touch  to 
the  pillows  when  the  door  softly  opened  and 
who  should  come  in  but  Kitty. 

Yes,  Kitty,  our  rampant  little  rebel  Kit,  who 
but  a  few  days  before  had  seen  fit  to  snub  our 
wounded  boy  simply  because  he  was  a  "  Yank" 
and  wore  the  uniform  which  Uncle  Sam  has 
condemned  his  men-at-arms  to  suffer  in.  But 
how  changed  was  Kitty  now!  Once  or  twice 
during  the  day  she  had  stolen  to  the  door  or 
waylaid  Pauline  in  the  halls,  always  with  a 
white,  tear-stained,  anxious  face  and  a  wistful 
inquiry  as  to  how  Mr.  Amory  was  doing ;  then 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  73 

,.he  would  creep  lonely  and  homesick  back  tc 
her  room ;  probably  have  a  good  long  cry ;  and 
then  down-stairs  again  for  still  another  and  later 
bulletin. 

She  had  smoothed  back  her  soft  golden  hair 
aow;  bathed  away  all  but  a  few  traces  of  the 
tears  that  had  flown  so  copiously  during  the  last 
thirty-six  hours;  and  in  her  simple  yet  daintily- 
fitting  dress,  looked  more  womanly,  more  gentle 
and  attractive,  than  I  had  ever  seen  her. 

Walking  quietly  up  to  us,  she  put  her  little 
white  hand  on  Pauline's  shoulder,  saying, — 

"  You  go  now,  Paulie ;  it's  my  turn.  You've 
all  been  working  here  and  must  be  tired  and 
sleepy.  I'm  going  to  play  nurse  now."  And 
for  a  minute  the  corners  of  the  pretty  mouth 
twitch,  and  the  soft  gray  eyes  fill,  as  though  our 
little  heroine  were  again  on  the  verge  of  a  re- 
lapse into  lamentation.  Pauline's  arm  is  round 
her  in  an  instant,  and  she  draws  her  close  to  her 
bosom  as  she  says, — 

"It  is  just  like  you,  darling;  I  knew  you  would 
want  to  come."  And  then  follows  the  invariable 
exchange  of  caresses  so  indispensable  among 
tender-hearted  young  ladies  on  such  occasions. 
Not  that  I  disapprove  of  it.  Oh,  no  !  Only  one 
can  hardly  expect  to  be  "  counted  out"  from  all 
participation  in  such  ceremonies  and  yet  stand 
by  and  look  on  with  unmoved  and  unenvying 
Complacency. 


74  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

Ten  minutes  more  and  Pauline  has  gone,  with 
a  good-night  to  both.  The  judge  comes  in  and 
bends  with  almost  fatherly  interest  over  the 
sleeping  boy  ;  and  as  Kitty  seats  herself  quietly 
by  the  bedside,  goes  round  and  kisses  her,  say- 
ing, "  You  are  more  like  your  dear  mother  to- 
night than  I  ever  saw  you." 

Kit  looks  up  in  his  face  without  a  word,  but 
in  affection  that  is  eloquent  in  itself.  Then  her 
little  hand  busies  itself  about  the  bandage  on 
Amory's  forehead,  and  my  occupation  is  gone. 
Leaving  her  to  attend  to  that,  the  judge  and  I 
seat  ourselves  at  the  open  fireplace,  waking  and 
dozing  alternately. 

The  doctor  pronounced  him  better  when  he 
came  next  morning  to  dress  the  wounds.  Mars 
spent  most  of  the  time  in  sleeping.  Never  did 
patient  meet  with  care  and  attention  more  ten- 
der, more  constant.  Either  Pauline  or  Kit  was 
at  his  bedside.  The  old  judge  would  come  in 
with  every  hour  or  so.  Vinton  galloped  over 
from  camp  and  spent  the  afternoon ;  and  as  for 
myself,  I  was  becoming  vastly  interested  in  help- 
ing Kitty,  when,  as  bad  luck  would  have  it,  old 
Jake  brought  me  what  he  termed  a  "  tallygraff" 
when  he  came  back  from  Sandbrook  late  at 
evening  with  the  mail ;  and  the  tallygraff  sent 
me  hurrying  back  to  Holly  Springs  by  first  train 
the  following  day. 

It  was  with  no  satisfaction  whatever  that  I 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  75 

bade  them  all  adieu ;  though  my  heart  lightened 
up  when  the  doctor  reported  our  "  sub"  improv- 
ing. We  all  thought  he  recognized  Vinton  when 
the  latter  arrived  in  the  morning  to  drive  over 
with  me. 

"We  all  thought,  too,  that  a  week  at  the  utmost 
would  bring  me  back  with  them  in  time  to  resume 
my  functions  as  assistant  nurse ;  but  it  was  fully 
a  month  before  my  business  could  be  completed, 
and  by  that  time  no  further  occasion  existed  for 
my  services. 

"  We've  had  quite  a  little  series  of  adventures, 
major,"  said  I,  as  we  whirled  along  towards  the 
station,  "  and  for  one,  I  shouldn't  be  surprised 
if  a  spice  of  romance  were  to  be  thrown  in ;  a 
love-affair,  in  fact.  What  do  you  think  ?" 

Vinton  knocked  the  ashes  off  his  cigar  on  the 
dash-board ;  replaced  his  cigar  between  his  teeth 
with  great  deliberation ;  smiled  very  quietly,  not 
to  say  suggestively,  to  himself;  gave  a  tug  or  two 
at  his  moustache,  and  then  said, — 

"  Amory  and  Miss  Kit  you  mean.  Well, — i 
can't  say.  To  tell  the  truth,  I've  been  thinking 
for  some  time  past  that  he  has  left  his  heart  up 
North  somewhere, — some  old  West  Point  affair, 
you  know;  writes  long  letters  every  now  and 
then,  and  won't  let  me  see  the  address ;  drops 
them  in  the  postal-car  himself,  instead  of  sending 
them  by  the  company  mail ;  gets  a  dainty  missive 
now  and  then,  lady's  handwriting,  pretty  mono- 


/6  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

gram ;  and  blushes,  too,  when  I '  devil'  him  about 
Syracuse ;  they  are  postmarked  from  there.  May 
not  amount  to  much,  of  course.  These  young- 
sters get  into  that  sentimental  sort  of  vein  at  the 
Academy  and  seem  to  think  it  the  correct  thing 
to  be  spoony  over  somebody  all  the  time." 

That  struck  me  as  being  a  long  speech  for 
Yinton,  a  man  of  few  words  ordinarily.  It  oc- 
curred to  me,  too,  that  he  was  suspicious  of  his 
own  affair's  being  the  one  to  which  I  referred, 
and  wanted  to  head  me  off.  Oh,  the  perversity 
of  human  nature !  That  made  me  press  the  point 
and  return  to  the  subject.  (Pauline  afterwards 
said  it  was  the  meanest  thing  I  ever  did  in  my 
life.  How  little  she  knew  me !) 

"Don't  dash  my  expectations  in  that  way, 
Yinton.  If  Amory  and  Miss  Kit  don't  carry  out 
my  plan  and  fall  in  love,  I'll  have  to  fall  back 
upon  you  and  Miss  Pauline,  you  know ;  and  just 
imagine  how  the  judge  and  Harrod  would  feel  at 
having  to  give  her  up.  Besides,  old  fellow,  you 
and  I  are  cut  out  for  confirmed  old  bachelors. 
Can't  expect  a  young  and  attractive  girl  like  her, 
who  could  marry  anybody,  to  settle  down  to  an 
zmsettled  and  nomadic  existence  in  the  army; 
that's  altogether  too  much  for  so  little,  don't  you 
see?" 

"  Job's  comforters"  would  have  proven  a  dead 
failure  in  comparison  with  that  effort.  It  was 
mean,  but  there  was  something  exhilarating 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  77 

about  it  for  all  that.  "What  man,  raised  in  a 
large  family  of  sisters,  doesn't  grow  up  as  I  was 
raised, — a  tease  ? 

Vinton  is  too  old  a  campaigner,  however,  and 
sees  my  game ;  grins  expressively,  and  behaves 
with  commendable  nonchalance. 

"  I'll  put  the  matter  in  train  when  I  get  back, 
Brandon,  and  try  and  arrange  it  between  the 
young  people  to  your  satisfaction,  so  that  you 
won't  have  to  fall  back  on  anything  so  utterly 
problematical  as  the  other  suggestion."  That 
was  all  he  had  to  say  on  the  subject. 

"We  reached  Sandbrook ;  the  train  came ;  and 
in  a  moment  more  I  was  standing  on  the  rear 
platform  watching  the  tall,  stalwart,  soldierly 
form  that  waved  me  good-by,  growing  dim  and 
dimmer  in  the  distance. 

That  night  found  me  at  Holly  Springs  and  in 
consultation  with  the  United  States  marshal  and 
the  commanding  officer  of  the  little  garrison  of 
infantrymen.  To  the  care  of  the  last  named,  our 
captured  Ku-Klux  had  been  turned  over,  together 
with  a  few  more  of  their  fraternity,  recent  ac- 
quisitions, one  of  whom,  the  marshal  informed 
me,  was  badly  wounded  and  in  hospital.  He 
had  been  arrested  the  day  after  the  ambuscade 
at  a  farm-house  within  five  miles  of  the  spot,  and 
duly  forwarded  to  join  his  Elan  at  their  new  and 
much  anathematized  rendezvous. 

On  my  expressing  a  desire  to  see  him,  the 

7* 


78  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

captain  obligingly  conducted  me  into  the  neat 
little  hospital-tent,  only  a  few  steps  from  his  own  ; 
and  there,  stretched  out  at  full  length,  with  a 
bandaged  shoulder  and  a  woe-begone  counte- 
nance, was  my  missionary  friend — Stiggins. 

It  was  easy  enough  to  conjecture  how  he  came 
by  his  wound,  though  his  own  statement  of  the 
occurrence  had  surrounded  him  with  a  halo  of 
martyrdom  up  to  the  time  of  my  arrival.  Stig- 
gins had  stoutly  maintained  that  the  Ku-Klux 
had  shot  him ;  that  he  was  a  law-abiding  man, 
and  that  he  hadn't  seen  a  blue-coated  soldier 
since  the  war.  But  when  Stiggins  caught  sight 
of  me  he  looked  very  much  as  though  he  had 
been  lying,  and  in  all  human  probability  he  had. 

I  said  nothing  to  the  officers  on  the  subject 
until  afterwards ;  when,  in  examining  the  articles 
which  were  in  his  possession  at  the  time  of  his 
arrest,  I  came  across  a  letter  written  in  a  hand  I 
knew  well  enough,  appointing  a  meeting  with 
one  J.  Bostwick,  and  signed  "  Peyton."  It  was 
dated  the  night  Harrod  and  Master  Ned  arrived 
at  the  plantation. 

Stiggins  swore  he  didn't  know  Peyton ;  never 
had  seen  him ;  "  that  note  didn't  belong  to  him 
nohow,"  and  lied  with  a  volubility  and  earnest- 
ness that  would  have  done  credit  to  a  Jew  in  a 
clothing-store.  But  no  information  as  to  Pey- 
ton's whereabouts  could  be  extracted  from  him 
or  his  unwounded  confederates ;  nor  could  they 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  79 

be  induced  to  give  any  clue  which  might  lead  to 
his  implication.  Whatever  they  were  otherwise, 
they  were  game  to  the  backbone ;  and  stood  by 
one  another  throughout  their  captivity  and  the 
trial  which  followed. 

Hank  Smith  we  found  domiciled  in  the  prison 
room  where  the  gang  were  cooped  up.  He  car- 
ried his  arm  in  a  sling,  and  a  bed  had  been  pro- 
vided for  his  especial  accommodation.  He  was 
surly  and  defiant,  but  accepted  a  piece  of  plug 
tobacco  with  much  avidity,  and  was  kind  enough 
to  say  that  "  'Twould  be  a  derned  sight  better  if 
you  handed  over  a  bottle  of  whiskey  with  it," 
which  sentiment  was  unanimously  concurred  in 
by  the  assembled  delegates,  but  vetoed  by  the 
captain. 

Two  weeks  passed  away,  and  still  was  I  de- 
tained. Then  came  a  summons  to  Jackson,  where 
the  State  Legislature  was  in  session.  I  had  writ- 
ten to  the  judge  and  to  Vinton.  The  former  had 
been  called  South  on  business,  but  while  at 
Jackson  the  latter's  reply  reached  me, — a  long, 
and  for  him,  gossipy  letter. 

Amory  was  rapidly  recovering,  and  the  mo- 
ment he  was  well  enough  to  be  moved — in  fact, 
as  soon  as  he  had  his  ideas  about  him — had  in- 
sisted on  being  carried  to  camp.  It  was  in  vain 
that  Harrod,  Pauline,  and  Vinton  had  protested ; 
go  he  would.  No  persuasions  could  induce  him 
to  remain  where  he  was  a  burden  and  a  care  to 


80  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

them.  Kitty  had  taken  no  part  in  the  discussion, 
and  had  been  but  little  in  the  sick-room  after  he 
had  recognized  her;  but  the  poor  child  was  pos- 
sessed with  the  idea  that  he  was  determined  to 
go  simply  on  her  account,  and  was  very  miserable 
in  consequence.  As  a  last  resort,  Pauline,  "  for 
whom  he  has  a  warm  affection,"  had  communi- 
cated this  fact  to  her  intractable  patient,  and  his 
pale  face  had  flushed  up  for  an  instant  and  he 
was  at  a  loss  what  to  say,  but  finally  protested 
that  it  had  nothing  to  do  with  his  determination. 
That  evening  he  asked  to  see  her,  and,  in  an  em- 
barrassed but  earnest  way,  thanked  her  for  nurs- 
ing him  so  kindly  and  carefully.  "  I'll  never 
forget  how  good  you — you  all  were  to  me,  Miss 
Carrington."  And  from  that  time  until  the  am- 
bulance came  for  him,  two  days  after,  whenever 
she  chanced  to  come  to  the  room  he  was  very 
gentle,  and  in  his  whole  manner  seemed  anxious 
to  show  her  that  not  an  atom  of  resentment  or 
annoyance  remained.  "  Somehow  or  other  there's 
something  wrong,"  Yinton  wrote.  "  I  can't  get 
her  to  look  or  talk  like  her  old  self;  she  won't 
cheer  up,  and  whenever  she  is  in  the  room  both 
of  them  are  nervous  and  embarrassed,  and  though 
Miss  Summers  and  I  have  striven  to  get  them 
into  conversation  when  the  doctor  would  let  him 
talk,  it's  of  no  use."  Oh,  the  subtlety  of  femi- 
nine influence !  Fancy  Vinton  in  the  role  of 
match-maker  !  And  so  Amory  was  back  again 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  gl 

among  his  men,  rapidly  improving,  but  still,  as 
Vinton  said,  "  something  was  wrong." 

Nothing  had  been  heard  from  or  of  Peyton 
except  an  order  for  his  trunk  and  personal  effects, 
brought  to  the  colonel  by  a  total  stranger.  It 
was  conjectured,  however,  that  the  judge  had 
gone  to  Mobile  during  his  trip,  and  that  his 
troublesome  kinsman  was  to  be  shipped  off  to 
climes  where  Ku-Klux  were  unknown,  and  where 
his  propensities  for  mischief  would  have  no  field 
for  operation.  No  further  complaints  of  outrages 
or  disorders ;  everything  was  quiet  and  peaceful, 
and  men  and  horses  were  having  a  good  rest. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ONE  bright,  beautiful  evening  late  in  February, 
it  was  my  good  fortune  to  find  myself  once  more 
within  "twenty  minutes  of  Sandbrook";  this 
time  on  no  hurried  visit,  but  with  the  deliberate 
intention  of  accepting  the  cordial  invitation  of 
the  judge  and  Harrod  to  spend  a  month  with 
them.  I  was  to  make  their  home  my  headquar- 
ters while  attending  to  the  limited  amount  of  law 
business  that  called  me  to  that  vicinity.  I  had 
heard  several  times  from  the  plantation  since 
Vinton's  letter,  and  the  very  last  news  I  had  re- 
ceived was  penned  by  Miss  Pauline's  own  fail 
hand,  telling  me  in  a  sweet,  happy,  womanly 
letter  of  what  neither  you,  who  have  had  patience 
enough  to  read  this,  nor  I  could  be  in  the  least 
degree  surprised  to  learn, — her  engagement  to 
Major  Vinton.  The  major  himself,  she  wrote, 
had  been  summoned  as  a  witness  before  a  court- 
martial,  and  would  be  gone  several  days,  but 
back  in  time  to  welcome  me.  Then  came  a  page 
about  Amory :  "  He  has  entirely  recovered  ; 
that  is  to  say,  he  is  as  strong  and  active  as  ever ; 
but  still — I  don't  know  how  to  express  it  ex- 
actly— he  is  not  the  same  man  he  was  before  that 
82 


CONQUEST.  83 

night.  You  know  that  the  wound  in  his  shoulder 
was  a  very  slight  one,  and  that  his  injuries  were 
mainly  shocks  and  bruises  received  by  being 
thrown  and  dragged  by  his  wounded  horse. 
When  he  was  well  enough  to  drive  about,  the 
major  used  to  bring  him  here  frequently;  and  I 
really  thought  that  he  and  Kitty  were  going  to 
become  great  friends,  for  they  wore  off  much  of 
the  old  embarrassment  and  seemed  to  be  getting 
along  so  nicely.  Then  he  used  to  ride  over  and 
spend  entire  afternoons  with  us ;  and  then,  all 
of  a  sudden,  he  stopped  coming;  only  visits  us 
now  when  he  has  to ;  and  is  so  changed,  so  con- 
strained and  moody  that  I  don't  know  what  to 
make  of  it.  I  really  believe  that  Kitty  was  grow- 
ing te  like  him  ever  so  much ;  and  she  wonders, 
I  know,  at  this  sudden  change.  Even  when  he 
does  come  he  avoids  and  barely  looks  at  her." 

It  was  strange  ;  and  I  puzzled  over  it  for  some 
time.  Matchmaking  was  hardly  in  my  line  of 
business,  yet  no  spinster  aunt  could  have  taken 
more  interest  in  the  affair  than  myself.  I  was 
really  anxious  to  get  back  to  the  plantation  and 
see  what  could  be  made  of  it. 

Harrod  and  the  carriage  were  at  the  station  to 
meet  me,  and  a  rapid  drive  in  the  cool  night  air 
soon  brought  us  to  the  dear  old  house  again ;  and 
there  on  the  broad  piazza,  in  the  broad, 
cheerful  stream  of  light  from  the  hall,  stood  the 
iudge,  Yinton,  and  Pauline ;  and  in  a  moment  I 


84  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

had  sprung  from  the  carriage  and  was  receiving 
their  warm  and  charming  welcome.  Yintonwas 
as  happy  in  his  quiet,  undemonstrative  way  as 
man  could  be,  and  the  fond,  proud  light  in  his 
dark  eyes  as  he  looked  down  at  the  graceful  form 
leaning  so  trustfully  upon  his  arm,  was  a  sight 
that  made  me  envious.  Presently  Kitty  came 
down ;  but  not  the  Kitty  of  old.  Ah  !  little  girl, 
what  is  it  that  has  made  those  soft  eyes  so  heavy, 
so  sad  ?  "What  has  taken  all  the  color  from  those 
round,  velvety  cheeks  ?  What  has  become  of  the 
ringing,  light-hearted  laugh  that  came  bubbling 
up  from  heart-springs  that  seemed  inexhaustible 
in  their  freshness,  their  gladness  ?  It  is  of  no  use 
to  smile  and  chatter  and  prate  about  your  pleas- 
ure at  seeing  this  antiquarian  again.  It  is  of  no 
use  to  toss  your  little  head  and  look  at  me  with 
something  of  the  old  coquettish  light  in  your 
eyes.  You  can't  deceive  me,  little  Kit ;  you  are 
changed,  sadly  changed.  I,  who  have  been  away 
so  long  a  time,  can  see  what  others  only  par- 
tially notice. 

During  the  evening  we  all  gathered  in  the  par- 
lor, talking  over  the  events  of  my  previous  visit. 
Kitty  had  early  tired  of  any  share  in  the  con- 
versation, and  sat  silent  and  absent,  taking  little 
heed  of  what  was  said,  though  once  or  twice, 
when  we  were  not  speaking  of  Amory,  she  rallied 
for  a  moment  and  made  an  effort.  She  had  taken 
a  chair  near  the  window,  and  was  more  than  half 


KITTY'S    CONQUEST.  85 

the  time  gazing  dreamily  out  towards  the  road. 
At  last  Vinton  said  he  must  get  back  to  camp, 
bade  us  all  good-night ;  his  orderly  came  round 
with  the  horses,  and  Pauline  went  out  to  see  him 
off,  everybody  else  just  at  that  particular  moment 
finding  something  of  extreme  interest  which  de- 
tained him  or  her  in  the  parlor. 

It  is  odd  how  long  it  takes  to  say  good-night 
under  those  circumstances.  Fully  fifteen  minutes 
elapsed  before  the  spurred  boot-heels  were 
heard  going  down  the  steps ;  then  there  was  an- 
other slight  detention, — cause,  unknown ;  time, 
three  minutes  and  a  half, — and  finally  the  clatter 
of  hoofs  as  they  rode  off,  twenty-seven  minutes 
by  the  clock  after  the  time  when  the  major  had 
announced  that  he  must  be  off  at  once, — couldn't 
stay  another  minute. 

When  the  hoof-beats  had  died  away,  Pauline 
came  back  to  us  radiant,  lovely ;  and  even  that 
tease  Harrod  could  not  find  it  in  his  heart  to  say 
one  word  on  the  subject  of  the  major's  unac- 
countable display  of  unmilitary  tardiness,  though 
he  looked  vastly  as  though  he  would  like  to. 
Good-nights  were  exchanged,  and  soon  after  I 
found  myself  cosily  ensconced  in  my  old  quar- 
ters in  the  wing. 

About  noon  on  the  following  day  Mars  trotted 
up  the  road,  and,  throwing  his  horse's  rein  over 
the  gate-post,  came  "  clinking"  up  the  walk. 
His  heels  were  decorated  with  a  pair  of  huge 

8 


86  KITTYS   CONQUEST. 

Mexican  spurs,  with  little  pendants  of  steel 
attached  to  the  rowels  in  such  a  way  as  to  cause 
a  jingling  with  every  movement.  I  had  gone 
out  on  the  piazza  to  meet  him,  and  he  quickened 
his  pace  and  waved  his  cap  with  a  cheery  "  How 
are  you,  Mr.  Brandon  ?"  the  moment  he  caught 
sight  of  me.  As  he  sprang  up  the  steps  I  saw 
that  he  had  at  least  lost  none  of  his  old  activity ; 
and  though  thinner  and  a  trifle  paler  than  when  I 
first  met  him,  it  was  not  at  first  glance  noticeable. 

After  the  excitement  of  our  meeting  was  over, 
however,  and  we  were  chatting  over  the  Ku- 
Klux  entertainments,  I  noticed  how  soon  he  be- 
came just  the  restless,  absent,  constrained  fellow 
that  Pauline  had  described.  He  changed  color 
and  started  every  time  a  footstep  was  heard  in 
the  hall ;  greeted  Pauline  warmly  when  she  came 
down,  and  seemed  to  be  more  himself  when 
talking  with  her,  but  even  then  his  eyes  wan- 
dered to  the  doorway.  Something  was  want- 
ing ;  and  at  last  he  made  a  vigorous  effort  and 
stammered  an  inquiry  as  to  "  Miss  Carrington's" 
health. 

"  Kitty  is  pretty  well,  and  will  be  down  in  a 
minute.  She  was  writing  to  Aunt  Mary  when 
you  came.  If  I  were  Kitty  I  wouldn't  come 
down  to  see  you  at  all,  Mr.  Frank  Amory,  for 
you've  not  been  near  us  for  the  last  ten  days, 
and  I  presume  we  owe  this  call  entirely  to  Mr. 
Brandon." 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  87 

Poor  fellow !  he  fidgets  and  looks  woe-begone 
enough ;  tries  hard  to  plead  constant  duties,  no 
lack  of  inclination,  etc.,  and  just  in  the  midst  of 
it  all,  the  rustle  of  skirts  and  the  patter  of  quick, 
light  footsteps  is  heard  in  the  hall,  and  Frank 
Amory  starts  up  with  the  flush  deepening  on  his 
cheek  and  forehead,  and  stands  facing  the  door- 
way as  little  Kit  comes  in, — comes  in  with  a  face 
that  flushes  deeply  as  his  own,  with  eyes  that  are 
raised  to  his  but  for  one  brief  second  and  then 
seek  any  other  object  but  the  young  soldier  be- 
fore her,  with  a  nervous,  fluttering  reply  to  his 
"  Good-morning,  Miss  Carrington ;  I  hope  you're 
well  ?"  and  finally,  as  she  subsides  into  an  arm- 
chair by  the  window,  with  an  air  of  mingled 
relief  and  apprehension  that  puzzles  me  inex- 
pressibly. Amory,  meantime,  has  resumed  his 
seat  (on  his  forage-cap  this  time),  and  plunged 
hastily  into  a  description  of  a  marvellous  horse 
they  have  just  concluded  to  purchase  for  officers' 
use.  He  must  be  a  marvel ;  and  it  is  aston- 
ishing what  an  amount  of  interest  Frank  takes 
in  telling  Pauline  all  about  his  performances. 
Kitty  sits  by  the  window  listening,  but  saying  not 
a  word;  and  after  this  sort  of  thing  has  been 
kept  up  some  twenty  minutes  Pauline  excuses 
herself. 

"  Now  don't  go  till  I  come  back,  Frank ;  I'll 
only  be  gone  a  few  minutes."  And  with  a 
glance  at  me  that  seems,  as  Mark  Twain  says, 


88  KITTF'S  CONQUEST. 

u  perfectly  luminous  with  meaning"  to  her,  but 
which  in  my  masculine  stupidity  I  fail  to  com- 
prehend until  some  minutes  after,  that  young 
lady  makes  her  exit.  Then  Mars  turns  upon 
me,  utterly  absorbed  in  the  same  horse,  and  with 
distracting  volubility  tells  me  the  same  rigma 
role  he  told  Pauline,  every  word  of  which  I 
had  heard.  Then  he  asks  questions  about 
Hank  Smith  that  he  had  asked  three  or  four 
times  already,  and  just  as  I'm  beginning  to  won- 
der whether  his  accident  had  not  resulted  in  per- 
manent injury  to  his  mental  faculties  a  servant 
appears  at  the  door. 

"  Miss  Summers  says  will  Mr.  Brandon  please 
come  and  help  her  a  minute."  And  as  Mr. 
Brandon  obligingly  rises  to  comply  with  her 
request,  Amory  springs  up  too,  whips  out  his 
watch,  and  exclaims, — 

"By  Jove!  how  time  flies!  I  told  Yinton 
I'd  be  back  for  afternoon  stables, — must  be  off! 
Good-by,  Mr.  Brandon ;  come  over  to  camp  and 
see  us.  Good-by,  Miss  Carrington ;  sorry  I  have 
to  hurry."  And  out  he  goes ;  clatters  down  the 
steps  and  back  to  his  horse;  throws  the  reins 
over  the  animal's  head,  and  vaults  into  his  sad- 
dle; and  then,  with  one  wave  of  his  hand,  dashes 
off  at  a  mad  gallop. 

I  turned  again  into  the  house,  and  this  is  what 
I  saw  in  the  parlor.  Kitty  Carrington,  all  alone, 
standing  there  at  the  window  gazing  after 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  89 

Amory  as  he  disappeared  down  the  road;  her 
tiny  white  hands  tightly  clinching  the  window- 
sill  ;  two  great  big  tears  just  starting  from  each 
eye  and  trickling  slowly,  heavily  down  her 
cheeks;  her  dainty  form  quivering  with  emo- 
tion. Little  by  little  I  am  beginning  to  suspect 
the  truth  in  the  matter,  and,  as  I  turn  softly 
away  without  attracting  her  attention,  mentally 
resolve  to  unearth  the  whole  secret.  Pretty 
business  for  a  man  of  my  years,  you  will  say, 
but  "  we  lawyers  are  curious." 

N.B. — Pauline  didn't  want  me  at  all.  It  was 
a  ruse  to  get  me  away. 

For  the  next  three  days  matters  went  on  in 
pretty  much  the  same  groove.  Amory  came 
over  to  dinner  once  and  was  utterly  absurd, — 
handed  Miss  Kit  to  her  chair,  took  his  allotted 
place  beside  her ;  and  hardly  addressed  one  word 
to  her  through  the  entire  repast,  though  he  gab- 
bled unceasingly  to  every  one  else.  Just  as 
soon  as  we  could  finish  our  cigars  after  dinner, 
and  an  adjournment  was  moved  to  the  parlor, 
he  declared  he  must  be  oif;  said  he  had  a  whole 
heap  of  commissary  returns  to  make  up  before 
morning;  and,  with  the  briefest  possible  good- 
night to  the  ladies  and  the  judge,  away  he  went. 

Pauline  looked  puzzled,  Yinton  amused,  and 
Kitty — out  of  the  window. 

That    night    Mr.    Gr.    S.   Brandon,   who    has 

already  played  too  inquisitive  a  part  in  this  little 
8* 


90  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

affair,  resolved,  before  closing  his  eyes  for  a 
good,  old-fashioned  sleep,  that  he  might  as  well 
be  hanged  for  a  sheep  as  a  lamb,  and  pry  still 
further ;  but  he  never  dreamed  how  odd  would 
be  the  solution. 


CHAPTER    YI. 

THE  next  day  Harrod  Summers  and  I  drove 
over  to  the  cavalry  camp  to  see  Amory.  It  was 
a  crisp,  cheery  morning,  just  enough  wintry 
rime  in  earth  and  air  and  sky  to  make  rapid 
motion  a  keen  delight.  As  we  neared  the  spot, 
the  mellow  notes  of  the  trumpet  came  floating 
on  the  breeze,  and  as  we  rounded  a  bend  in  the 
road,  we  came  in  sight  of  the  troop  itself  trotting 
across  a  broad  open  field.  Mars  was  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  glorious  weather  to  brush  up  on 
company  drill,  and  we  had  arrived  just  in  time 
to  see  it. 

It  was  a  very  pretty,  stirring  sight  to  my  eyes ; 
for  the  dash  and  spirit  of  the  manoeuvres  were 
new  to  a  man  whose  martial  associations  had 
been  confined  to  the  curbstones  of  Broadway, 
barring  that  olistering  march  from  Annapolis  to 
the  railway,  and  the  month  of  feted  soldiering  at 
the  capital  and  Camp  Cameron  in  '61.  Harrod 
gazed  at  it  all  with  professional  calm ;  occasion- 
ally giving  some  brief  and  altogether  too  tech- 
nical explanation  of  evolutions  that  were  beyond 
my  comprehension.  But  the  one  thing  which 
Btruck  me  most  forcibly  was  that,  though  fre- 

91 


92  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

quently  trotting  or  galloping  close  to  where  \v«j 
eat  in  the  buggy,  Mr.  Frank  Aniory  never  took 
the  faintest  notice  of  us.  His  whole  attention 
was  given  to  his  troop  and  the  drill ;  and  with 
flashing  sabre  and  animated  voice,  he  darted 
here  and  there  on  his  big  chestnut  sorrel,  shout- 
ing, exhorting,  and  on  occasion  excitedly  swear- 
ing at  some  thick-headed  trooper;  but  for  all  the 
notice  he  took  of  us  we  might  as  well  have  been 
back  at  home. 

"  Rather  a  cool  reception,"  said  I,  "  consider- 
ing the  youngster  was  so  anxious  we  should 
come  over." 

"  Why,  that's  all  right,"  said  Harrod.  "  It  is 
a  breach  of  military  propriety  to  hold  any  kind 
of  communication  with  lookers-on  when  a  fel- 
low's at  drill  or  on  parade." 

And  yet  to  my  civilian  notions  this  struck  me 
as  being  uncivil.  Less  than  a  month  afterwards 
I  saw  the  same  young  fellow  sit  like  a  statue  on 
his  horse,  and  never  give  the  faintest  sign  of 
recognition  when  the  girl  I  knew  he — well,  that's 
anticipating — when  a  party  of  ladies  were  driven 
in  carriages  past  his  troop,  so  close  to  his  horse's 
nose  as  to  seriously  discomfit  that  quadruped, 
and  one  of  the  young  ladies  was  Miss  Carring- 
ton.  To  my  undisciplined  faculties  that  sort  of 
thing  was  incomprehensible.  I  looked  on  at  the 
drill  for  a  while,  wondering  how  in  the  world 
those  fellows  could  manage  to  keep  their  seats 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  93 

in  the  saddle  without  grabbing  the  pommel, 
when  Harrod  remarked  that  he  believed  he 
would  go  on  into  the  village  to  attend  to  some 
business,  and  leave  me  at  Amory's  tent  until  he 
returned.  Of  course  I  could  only  assent ;  and  in 
another  moment  I  was  landed  in  front  of  the 
tent  which  had  become  so  fixed  a  picture  "  in 
my  mind's  eye"  since  the  afternoon  Mr.  Stiggins 
rode  in  to  inquire  where  the  lieutenant  and  his 
people  had  gone.  A  darky  boy  officiously 
brushed  off  the  seat  of  a  camp-chair,  saying  that 
"  Mos'  like  drill'd  be  over  in  ten  minutes."  So 
I  sat  me  down  under  the  canvas  to  wait. 

Amory's  tent  was  not  luxurious.  It  was  one 
of  the  simple  variety  known  as  the  "  wall"  tent, 
so  called  probably  because  for  three  feet  from 
the  ground  the  sides  are  vertical  and  give  more 
room  than  the  "  A"  tents  of  the  rank  and  file. 
A  camp-cot  occupied  one  side ;  a  canvas-covered 
trunk  stood  at  the  head.  Then  on  the  other 
side  of  the  tent  was  a  rude  field-desk,  perched 
on  four  legs;  the  pigeon-holes  crammed  with 
portentous-looking  blanks  and  papers,  and  the 
lid  lowered  to  a  horizontal.  On  this  lay  a  square 
of  blotting-paper,  covered  with  ink-dabs  and 
some  stray  papers,  an  ungainly  inkstand,  and  one 
or  two  scattered  pens  and  holders.  A  looking- 
glass  about  the  size  of  one's  face  was  swung  on 
the  front  pole.  A  rude  washstand  was  placed 
near  the  foot  of  the  bed.  A  swinging  pole,  hung 


94  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

under  the  ridge-pole  of  the  tent,  constituted  the 
wardrobe  or  clothes-closet  of  the  occupant,  and 
from  this  several  garments  were  pendent.  There 
was  no  tent  floor ;  the  bare  ground  was  the  car- 
pet ;  and  but  for  one  little  table  the  abode  would 
have  been  rude  in  the  extreme  as  the  habitation 
of  a  civilized  being.  The  table  in  question  stood 
at  the  entrance  of  the  tent,  under  the  "  fly"  or 
awning  spread  in  front.  A  couple  of  pipes  with 
brier-root  stems  lay  thereon,  and  a  jar  of  tobacco. 
But  in  an  easel-frame  of  soft  velvet,  a  frame  rich 
and  handsome,  conspicuously  so  in  contrast  with 
all  the  surroundings,  was  a  photograph — cabinet- 
size — of  a  woman's  face.  It  was  not  there  on  the 
occasion  of  my  first  visit,  nor  was  the  table.  But 
there  sat  the  picture,  the  first  thing  one  would 
notice  in  entering  the  tent ;  and,  having  nothing 
else  to  do,  I  proceeded  to  examine  it. 

A  sweet,  placid,  sorrow-worn  face;  eyes  whose 
wrinkled  lids  spoke  of  age,  but  yet  looked  calmly, 
steadfastly  into  mine.  Scanty  hair,  yet  rippling 
over  the  brows  and  temples  as  though  indicating 
that  in  years  gone  by  the  tresses  had  been  full 
and  luxuriant.  Scanty  hair,  tinged  with  many 
a  streak  of  gray,  and  carried  back  of  the  ears  in 
a  fashion  suggestive  of  the  days  that  long  pre- 
ceded the  war, — the  days  when  Jenny  Lind  en- 
tranced us  all  at  Castle  Garden  (though  I  claim 
to  have  been  but  a  boy  then) ;  when  Mario  and 
Grisi  were  teaching  us  Knickerbockers  the 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  95 

beauties  of  Italian  opera;  when  Count  D'Orsay 
was  the  marvel  of  metropolitan  society;  when 
daguerreotypes  were  first  introduced  along  Broad- 
way. All  these  I  thought  of  as  I  looked  into 
this  placid  face,  so  refined  in  its  every  line; 
marking,  too,  that  at  the  throat  was  clasped  a 
portrait  in  plain  gold  frame,  the  inevitable  indi- 
cation that  the  wearer  was  of  Southern  birtn,  for 
none  but  our  Southern  women  wear  thus  out- 
wardly the  portraits  of  those  they  love  and  have 
lost.  The  picture  fascinated  me ;  it  was  so  sweet, 
so  simple,  so  homelike ;  and,  as  I  stood  with  it 
in  my  hands,  I  could  plainly  see  the  string 
likeness  between  the  features  and  those  of  my 
plucky  young  hero,  whom  I  was  half  resdy 
to  be  indignant  with  for  ignoring  me  ten  min- 
utes before.  His  mother  I  knew  it  to  be  at  a 
glance. 

Just  then  came  an  orderly  bearing  a  packet 
of  letters.  To  my  intense  gratification — I  don't 
know  why — he  saluted  with  his  unoccupied  hand 
as  he  said,  "  Letters  for  the  lieutenant,  sir."  "Was 
it  possible  that  he  thought  I  might  be  some  staff- 
officer?  He  could  not — that  is,  he  would  not, 
had  he  ever  seen  me  straddle  a  horse — suppose 
me  to  be  a  cavalryman.  Perhaps  he  had  heard 
I  waa  with  the  lieutenant  the  night  he  ,nabbed 
Hank  Smith ;  perhaps  he — why,  perhaps  they — 
the  troop — had  heard  I  had  charged  through  the 
woods  to  his  support.  Well,  I  took  with  digni- 


96  KITTrS   CONQUEST. 

fied  calm  the  bundle  of  letters  he  handed  me,  and 
endeavored  to  look  the  suppositions  character 
and  place  them  carelessly  on  the  table,  when  the 
superscription  of  the  very  first  one  attracted  my 
attention.  The  writing  was  strangely  familiar. 
There  were  four  letters, — two  "  official,"  long 
and  heavy ;  two  personal,  and  evidently  of  femi- 
nine authorship.  It  was  my  business  to  lay  them 
on  the  table.  I  did  nothing  of  the  kind.  Hold- 
ing the  package  in  both  hands,  I  sat  stupidly 
staring  at  the  topmost  letter, — a  tiny,  dainty 
affair, — and  striving  to  come  back  from  dream- 
land. Where  had  I  seen  that  superscription 
before?  There  stood  the  address,  "Lieut.  Frank 
Amory,  — th  U.  S.  Cavalry,  Sandbrook  Station, 
Memphis  and  Charleston  R.  R.,  Alabama,"  every 
letter  as  perfectly  traced  as  through  by  the  hand 
of  an  engraver ;  every  i  dotted,  every  t  crossed, 
every  capital  having  its  due  proportion,  every 
letter  wellnigh  perfect.  The  superscription  itself 
was  a  chirographic  marvel.  The  writing  was 
simply  beautiful,  and  I  had  seen  it  before.  It 
was  familiar  to  me,  or  at  least  had  been  well 
known.  Pondering  over  it,  I  gazed,  of  course, 
at  the  postmark:  a  mere  blur.  Something  or 
some  place  in  New  York  was  all  I  could  make 
out  before  it  suddenly  occurred  to  me  that  the 
whole  thing  was  none  of  my  business  anyhow. 
I  set  the  packet  down  on  the  table  and  strove  to 
shut  it  from  my  mind ;  but  there  that  letter  lay 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  97 

on  top,  staring  me  in  the  face ;  I  could  not  keep 
my  eyes  from  it.  I  turned,  picked  it  up  and 
placed  it  on  the  desk  inside  the  tent ;  dropped  a 
handkerchief  that  was  lying  there  over  it ;  and 
returned  to  my  place  under  the  fly.  I  wanted 
to  keep  it  out  of  my  sight. 

Presently,  the  bustle  and  laughter  among  the 
tents  of  the  soldiers  near  me  gave  warning  that 
the  troop  had  come  in  from  drill.  The  next 
moment,  as  I  was  again  holding  and  looking  at 
the  picture  in  the  velvet  frame,  Mars  came 
Bpringily  forward,  his  sabre  and  spurs  clinking 
with  every  stride.  He  pulled  off  his  gauntlet, 
and  held  out  his  hand  with  a  cheery  and  cordial 
"  So  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Brandon,"  and  then, 
as  I  was  about  to  apologize  for  taking  liberties 
with  his  belongings,  he  said, — and  how  can  I 
throw  into  the  words  the  tremulous  tenderness 
of  his  voice  ? — 

"  That's  mother.  My  birthday  present.  It 
only  came  a  few  days  ago,  and  I  like  to  have  it 
out  here  with  me." 

And  the  boy  took  it  from  my  hands,  and  stood 
for  a  moment,  all  glowing  as  he  came  from  his 
rapid  drill,  and  with  the  beads  of  perspiration 
on  his  face,  and  looked  fondly  at  it. 

"  It's  the  only  decent  picture  I  ever  had  of  her, 
and,  somehow,  it  almost  seems  as  though  she 
were  here  now.  That  Ku-Klux  business  upset 
her  completely,  and  the  blessed  little  mother 


98  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

wants  me  to  pull  out  and  resign ;  but  I  can't  do 
that." 

"  I  have  been  admiring  it  for  some  time,  Mr. 
Amory.  The  face  attracted  me  at  once,  and  it 
was  easy  to  see  the  family  resemblance.  May  I 
ask  where  your  mother  is  living  now  ?" 

"  In  Boston  now,  but  I  think  she  longs  to  come 
South  again.  The  North  never  seemed  home  to 
her.  Father  was  in  the  old  army.  Perhaps 
Vinton  has  told  you.  He  was  killed  at  Freder- 
icksburg,  at  the  head  of  his  brigade;  and  my 
uncle,  mother's  younger  brother,  died  of  wounds 
received  in  the  same  fight."  Amory's  voice 
faltered  a  little  and  his  color  brightened.  "  Of 
course  they  were  on  opposite  sides,"  he  added, 
in  a  lower  tone. 

I  bowed  silently.  Nothing  seemed  the  appro- 
priate thing  to  say  just  then.  Presently  Amory 
went  on : 

"  You  see  I'm  about  all  she  has  left  in  the 
world, — her  only  son.  And  when  husband  and 
brother  were  both  taken  from  her  at  one  fell 
swoop,  it  made  it  hard  to  let  me  take  up  father's 
profession ;  but  it  was  always  his  wish,  and  the 
only  thing  I'm  fit  for,  I  reckon." 

"Do  Yankees  habitually  say  'I  reckon'?"  I 
asked,  by  way  of  lightening  up  the  rather  solemn 
tone  of  the  conversation. 

Mars  laughed.  "  Why,"  said  he,  "  I'm  more 
than  half  Southern ;  born  in  North  Carolina,  and 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  99 

spending  much  of  my  boyhood  there  at  mother's 
old  home.  They  used  to  call  me  '  reb'  the  whole 
time  I  was  a  cadet.  It  is  a  wonder  I  wasn't  an 
out-and-out '  reb'  too.  All  mother's  people  were, 
and  they  never  have  been  reconciled  to  her  for 
sticking  to  father  and  his  side  of  the  question. 
Poor  little  mother,"  he  added,  while  the  tears 
gathered  in  his  eyes,  "  she  is  alone  in  the  world 
if  ever  woman  was,  and  I  sometimes  wonder  if 
I  ought  not  to  yield  to  her  wishes  and  go  and  be 
a  clerk  of  some  kind." 

All  the  glow,  all  the  life  that  possessed  him  as 
he  came  in  fresh  from  the  exercise  of  his  drill 
seemed  to  have  left  Mars  by  this  time.  He  was 
profoundly  sad  and  depressed.  That  was  plainly 
to  be  seen.  Hoping  to  find  something  as  a  dis- 
traction to  his  gloomy  reflections,  I  called  his 
attention  to  the  mail  that  had  arrived  during  his 
absence.  He  moved  negligently  towards  the 
desk,  raised  the  handkerchief  with  weary  in- 
difference, and  glanced  at  the  packet  underneath. 
Instantly  his  whole  manner  changed ;  the  color 
sprang  to  his  face ;  his  eyes  flamed,  and  a  nervous 
thrill  seemed  to  shoot  through  his  frame.  Paying 
no  attention  to  the  others,  he  had  seized  the 
dainty  missive  that  so  excited  my  curiosity,  and 
with  a  hand  that  plainly  shook  tore  it  open, 
turned  his  back  to  me  with  the  briefest  "  Excuse 
me  one  minute,"  and  was  speedily  so  absorbed 
in  the  letter  that  he  never  noticed  me  as  I  rose 


100  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

and  strolled  out  to  the  front  of  the  tent  and  the 
hright  wintry  sunshine  beyond.  The  boy  needed 
to  be  alone. 

Fully  fifteen  minutes  passed  by  before  he  re- 
joined me,  coming  out  with  a  quick,  nervous  step, 
and  a  face  that  had  grown  white  and  almost  old 
in  that  time.  What  could  be  wrong  with  him  ? 

"  Mr.  Brandon,  I  beg  your  pardon  for  being 
BO  inhospitable.  My  letters  were  important,  and 
— and  rather  a  surprise,  one  of  them.  It  is  just 
about  noon.  May  I  offer  you  a  toddy  ?  It's  the 
best  I  can  do." 

Mr.  Brandon,  to  the  scandal  of  his  principles, 
decided  that  on  this  occasion  he  would  accept 
the  proffered  refreshment.  It  seemed  to  be  a 
relief  to  Mars.  He  bustled  about,  getting  sugar 
and  glasses  and  some  fresh  spring  water ;  then 
speedily  tendering  me  a  goblet,  produced  a  black 
bottle  from  his  trunk. 

"  Shall  I  pour  for  you  ?"  said  he.  "  Say  when." 
And  in  a  moment  the  juice  of  the  rye  and  other 
less  harmful  ingredients  were  mingled  with  the 
sweetened  water. 

"You  will  excuse  me,"  said  he.  "I  never 
touch  it,  except — well,  that  drink  I  took  the 
night  on  the  train  after  our  tussle  with  Smith  is 
the  only  one  I've  taken  since  I  joined  the  troop. 
I  promised  mother,  Mr.  Brandon." 

The  reader  has  already  discovered  that  Mr. 
Brandon  could  readily  make  a  sentimental  idiot 


KITTFS  CONQUEST.  1Q1 

of  himself  on  slight  provocation.  Hearing  these 
words  of  Mr.  Amory's  and  the  renewed  allusion 
to  the  mother  who  filled  so  big  a  place  in  the 
boy's  heart,  Mr.  Brandon  deposited  his  glass  on 
the  table  and  held  out  his  hand ;  took  that  of  the 
surprised  young  soldier ;  gave  it  a  cordial  grip ; 
made  an  abortive  attempt  to  say  something  neat 
and  appropriate ;  and  broke  abruptly  off  at  the 
first  word.  Then  Harrod  came  back. 

"  Brandon,"  said  he,  "  there's  the  mischief  to 
pay  in  New  Orleans.  I've  just  received  the 
papers,  and  it  looks  as  though  there  would  be 
riot  and  bloodshed  with  a  vengeance." 

"  "What's  up  now  ?"  I  asked,  with  vivid  interest. 

"  It  seems  to  be  a  breaking  out  of  the  old  row. 
Two  legislatures,  you  know,  and  a  double-headed 
executive.  More  troops  are  ordered  there." 

I  eagerly  took  the  paper  and  read  the  head- 
lines. The  same  old  story,  only  worse  and  more 
of  it.  The  State-house  beleaguered;  the  metro- 
politan police  armed  with  Winchesters  and  man- 
ning a  battery ;  the  citizens  holding  indignation 
meetings  and  organizing  for  defence  against 
usurping  State  government ;  two  riots  on  Canal 
Street,  and  a  member  of  one  legislature  shot 
down  by  the  sergeant-at-arms  of  the  other;  a 
great  mob  organizing  to  attack  the  governor  and 
the  State-house,  etc.,  etc.  It  all  looked  familiar 
enough.  I  had  seen  the  same  thing  but  a  short 
time  before.  It  was  simply  a  new  eruption  of 
9* 


102  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

the  old  volcano,  but  a  grave  one,  unless  I  utterly 
misjudged  the  indications. 

"  Amory,"  said  Harrod,  "  mount  your  horse 
and  come  over  to  dinner  with  us.  Mr.  Brandon 
and  I  must  go  back,  for  there  are  matters  in  the 
mail  which  require  my  attention  at  once." 

But  Amory  said  he  could  not  leave.  In  Yin- 
ton's  absence  he  felt  that  he  ought  to  stick  to 
camp.  We  drove  back  as  we  came. 

Both  the  young  ladies  were  on  the  gallery 
when  we  drove  up.  Harrod  shook  his  head  in 
response  to  the  look  of  inquiry  in  Pauline's  eyes. 

"  Not  back  yet,  and  no  news  of  him, — unless 
— unless — there  should  be  something  in  this  let- 
ter," said  he,  with  provoking  gravity  and  delib- 
eration, as  he  felt  in  every  pocket  of  his  garments 
in  apparently  vain  search,  while  the  quizzical 
look  in  his  face  proclaimed  that  he  was  purposely 
reserving  the  right  pocket  for  the  last. 

Miss  Summers  stood  with  exemplary  patience 
and  outstretched  hand.  At  last  the  eagerly-ex- 
pected letter  was  produced,  and  Harrod  and  I 
went  in  to  talk  over  the  startling  tidings  from 
New  Orleans.  The  next  moment  we  heard 
Pauline's  rapid  step  in  the  hall  and  ascending 
the  stairs;  heard  her  go  hurriedly  to  her  room 
and  close  the  door.  Harrod  looked  puzzled  and 
a  little  worried. 

"  I  hope  there  is  no  bad  news  from  Yinton," 
he  said.  "  That  rush  to  her  room  is  unlike  her.': 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

Then  tlie  swish  of  Kitty's  skirts  was  heard. 
Harrod  stepped  out  and  spoke  some  words  to  her 
in  a  low  tone.  Her  reply  was  anxious  and  startled 
in  its  hurried  intonation,  but  the  words  were  in- 
distinct. 

"  She  says  Pauline  did  not  read  her  letter 
through  at  all,  but  sprang  up  with  tears  in  her 
eyes  and  merely  said  she  must  run  up-stairs  a 
few  minutes.  What  do  you  suppose  is  wrong  ?" 

Of  course  I  had  no  explanation  to  offer. 
Pauline  did  not  return  for  an  hour.  When  she 
again  appeared  she  was  very  pale  and  quiet. 
Harrod  meantime  had  taken  a  horse  and  ridden 
off  to  Sandbrook,  where  he  wanted  to  reach  the 
telegraph-office.  It  was  late  in  the  evening  when 
he  returned.  I  had  been  reading  in  the  library 
for  some  time  while  the  ladies  were  at  the  piano. 
He  strode  into  the  hall  and  stood  at  the  parlor- 
door. 

"  Pauline,  did  the  major  tell  you  in  his  letter  ?" 
he  asked. 

"  Tell  me  what  ?"  she  inquired,  with  quickly 
rising  color. 

"  That  their  orders  had  come  ?"  She  hesitated 
and  made  no  reply.  Quickly  he  stepped  forward 
and  threw  his  arm  around  her,  tenderly  kissing 
her  forehead. 

"  You'll  make  a  soldier's  wife,  Pauline.  You 
can  keep  a  secret." 

And  now,  looking  quickly  at  Miss  Kitty,  I  saw 


104  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

that  she  had  risen  and  was  eagerly  gazing  at 
them,  a  strange,  wistful  light  in  her  sweet  young 
face. 

"  What  is  it  all,  colonel  ?"  I  inquired. 

''  The  cavalry  left  for  New  Orleans  at  dark. 
Amory  got  telegraphic  orders  soon  after  we  left, 
and  Vinton  came  in  from  the  "West  by  the  even- 
ing train  and  took  command  at  the  station. 
Neither  of  them  had  time  to  come  out  here  to 
say  good-by,"  he  added,  with  an  involuntary 
glance  at  Kitty,  while  still  holding  Pauline's  hand 
in  his  own. 

"You  saw  Major  Vinton?"  Pauline  calmly 
asked. 

"  Yes,  dear.  I  have  a  note  for  you.  He  was 
only  there  thirty  minutes.  Amory  had  the  troop, 
horses  and  all,  on  the  cars  before  the  Memphis 
train  got  in." 

She  took  her  note  and  with  him  walked  into 
the  library.  Irresolutely  I  stepped  out  on  the 
gallery  a  moment.  Then  returning  for  a  cigar 
or  something  consolatory,  I  nearly  collided  with 
Miss  Kitty  at  the  parlor-door.  She  recoiled  a 
pace;  then  with  her  bonny  head  bowed  in  her 
hands,  with  great  sobs  shaking  her  slender  form, 
my  unheroic  little  heroine  rushed  past  me  and  up 
the  stairs  to  her  own  room.  I  felt  like  a  spy. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE  next  few  days  passed  somewhat  gloomily. 
Eager  interest  centred  in  the  daily  paper  from 
N~ew  Orleans.  The  Times  in  those  days  was 
"  run"  entirely  in  the  interest  of  a  strong  fac- 
tion not  inaptly  termed  "  carpet-haggers."  Few 
of  the  Republican  party  of  the  white  element 
had  been  natives  and  property-owners  in  the 
State  before  the  war.  All  of  the  colored  race, 
most  of  them  at  least,  had  been  residents  per- 
haps, but  held  as  property  rather  than  as  prop- 
erty-owners. The  Picayune,  always  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  old  regime  in  the  South,  was 
naturally  the  journal  which  found  its  way  into 
our  distant  household.  Its  pictures  of  affairs  in 
the  Crescent  City  were  startling  beyond  question, 
and  its  columns  were  filled  with  grave  portent  of 
riot,  insurrection,  and  bloodshed. 

Judge  Summers  was  visibly  worried  by  its 
reports.  Harrod  looked  gloomy  and  ill  at  ease ; 
Pauline  very  grave ;  Kitty  picturesquely  doleful. 
All,  however,  seemed  to  relax  no  effort  to  make 
me  feel  at  home  and  "  entertained,"  but  the 
evident  cloud  overshadowed  me.  I  began  to 
want  to  get  away. 

105 


106  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

If  all  N"ew  Orleans  were  swept  by  the  flames, 
my  personal  losses  would  be  slight;  but  the 
small  library  I  owned  would  be  an  excuse.  My 
confidence  that  neither  side  would  set  fire  to 
anything  was  only  equalled  by  that  which  I  felt 
that  both  would  join  forces  to  put  it  out  if  they 
did.  For  two  years  we  had  been  having  just  the 
same  exhilarating  experiences,  and  it  never  came 
to  burning  anything  but  a  little  powder.  Some- 
times one  side,  sometimes  another  would  raise  a 
huge  mob,  and  with  much  pomp  and  parade, 
with  much  blatant  speech-making  and  wide  pub- 
lication of  their  intentions,  would  march  noisily 
through  the  streets  towards  some  public  build- 
ing, at  that  moment  held  by  the  opposite  party, 
avowedly  for  the  purpose  of  taking  it  by  force 
of  arms.  The  first  year  there  had  been  some 
desultory  shooting,  but  no  casualties  to  speak  of. 
The  second  there  had  been  less  damage,  though 
far  more  display;  for  by  this  time  there  were 
three  parties  in  the  field.  Then,  however,  Uncle 
Sam  assumed  the  role  of  peace-maker;  sent  a 
general  thither  with  his  staff  (giving  him  a  major- 
general's  title  and  a  major's  force),  with  vague 
orders  as  to  what  he  was  to  do,  as  I  chanced  to 
know,  beyond  keeping  the  peace  and  upholding 
the  law  and  the  constituted  authorities.  As 
three  parties  claimed  to  be  the  "  constituted  au- 
thorities," it  seemed  embarrassing  at  times  to  tell 
which  to  uphold.  Washington  officials  declined 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  JQ7 

to  decide  for  Mm,  so  the  veteran  soldier  hit  on 
the  happy  expedient  of  upholding  the  party  that 
was  attacked.  This  put  him  squarely  in  the 
right  so  far  as  keeping  the  peace  was  concerned ; 
for  whichever  crowd  sallied  forth  to  whip  the 
other,  invariably  found  a  small  battalion  of  bay- 
onets, or  on  one  occasion  a  solitary  aide-de-camp 
representing  the  United  States.  They  would  not 
"fire  on  the  flag";  so  retired  to  thunder  at  one 
another  through  the  press.  But  it  put  him 
squarely  in  the  wrong  where  settling  the  ques- 
tion for  good  and  all  was  concerned.  So  long  as 
the  factions  felt  sure  they  would  not  be  allowed 
to  fight,  the  more  they  talked  about  doing  it; 
and  the  real  sufferers  were  the  patient,  plodding 
infantry  officers  and  men,  who  were  kept  trudg- 
ing up  and  down,  night  and  day,  from  town  to 
barracks.  They  were  tired,  hungry,  jaded-look- 
ing fellows  that  winter.  I  had  called  three  of 
them  into  my  room  one  chill  morning  after  they 
had  been  standing  all  night  on  the  curb-stones 
of  the  State-house  waiting  for  an  attack  they 
knew  would  never  come ;  warmed  them  up  with 
coffee  or  cocktails  as  they  might  prefer ;  then  one 
of  them  opened  his  heart. 

"  This  whole  thing  is  the  most  infernal  farce," 
said  he.  "  Ten  to  one  the  true  way  to  stop  it  is 
to  send  us  miles  away  and  let  them  get  at  one 
another.  The  Lord  knows  I'd  afford  them  every 
encouragement.  They  don't  want  to  fight.  If 


103  KITTFS  CONqUEST. 

old  General  Fitz  Blazes  would  only  send  me  with 
my  company  behind  instead  of  between  these 
howling  idiots  they'd  evaporate  quick  enough." 

"Well  I  recalled  every  bit  of  this!  It  was 
when  the  "  radical"  party  was  split  up  into  local 
factions,  each  demanding  the  State-house — and 
the  Treasury;  but — things  were  different  now. 
The  old  residents,  the  business  men,  the  repre- 
sentative citizens  of  the  city  had  stood  that  sort 
of  thing  just  as  long  as  human  endurance  and 
their  ebbing  purses  could  stand  it.  They  now 
had  organized  and  risen  against  the  perturbed 
State  authorities;  and  when  that  class  of  men 
began  shooting  somebody  was  going  to  be  hurt. 
As  yet  nothing  aggressive  had  been  done ;  but 
the  Republican  government  was  tottering  on  its 
Louisiana  throne,  and  appealed  for  aid.  This  it 
was  that  was  sending  troops  from  all  directions 
to  the  Crescent  City.  I  decided  to  go  and  pro- 
tect my  lares  and  penates,  trivial  though  they 
might  be. 

To  my  relief,  yet  surprise,  the  moment  I  men- 
tioned this  to  Colonel  Summers  his  face  lighted 
up  with  an  expression  of  delight. 

"  Mr.  Brandon,  we'll  go  together,  and  as  sooii 
as  you  like." 

Noticing  my  evident  surprise,  he  added,  "  To 
tell  the  truth  I  ought  to  go,  and  at  once.  Will 
you  come  into  father's  library  and  let  me  ex- 
plain?" 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  109 

Assenting,  as  a  matter  of  course,  I  followed 
him.  Pauline  was  seated  by  her  father's  side  as 
we  entered,  writing,  as  she  often  did,  from  his 
di  station. 

"  Father,"  broke  in  the  colonel,  abruptly,  "  we 
can  spare  you  all  that  work.  Mr.  Brandon  tells 
me  he  has  decided  to  go  at  once  to  New  Orleans. 
I  will  go  with  him,  and  take  the  papers." 

The  judge  rose  somewhat  slowly — anxiety  had 
told  on  him  very  much  in  the  last  day  or  two — 
and  greeted  me  with  his  old-fashioned  courtesy. 

"  It  is  a  source  of  great  regret  to  me — to  us 
all — that  you  should  leave  us;  yet  you  have 
doubtless  anxieties,  as  indeed  I  have, — great 
ones, — and  I  wish  it  were  in  my  power  to  go 
myself;  but  that  cannot  be,  for  a  fortnight  at 
least;  and  by  that  time,  as  things  are  looking 
now,  it  may  be  too  late, — it  may  be  too  late. 
My  son  will  tell  you "  he  broke  off  suddenly. 

Miss  Summers  had  risen ;  her  sweet,  thorough- 
bred face  had  grown  a  little  paler  of  late,  and 
she  stood  anxiously  regarding  her  father,  but 
saying  not  a  word.  For  some  moments  we  sat 
in  general  conversation;  then,  noticing  how  tired 
the  judge  was  looking,  I  rose,  saying  it  was  time 
to  make  preparations. 

Two  hours  later,  the  old  carriage  rattled  up  to 
the  steps.  The  colonel  stood  aside,  holding  some 
final  consultation  with  his  father.  Miss  Sum- 
mers, with  a  blush  that  was  vastly  becoming  to 
10 


HO  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

her,  handed  me  a  letter  for  the  major.  "As  yet, 
you  know,  Major  Vinton  has  not  been  able  to 
send  me  his  New  Orleans  address.  They  aro 
barely  there  by  this  time ;  but  you  were  so  in- 
cautious as  to  offer  to  take  anything  to  him,  so  1 
burden  you  with  this." 

Kitty  Carrington  was  looking  on  with  wistful 
eyes. 

"  And  you,  little  lady  ?  what  note  or  message 
will  you  intrust  to  me  ?" 

She  had  smoothed  back  her  bright  hair.  She 
was  looking  again  as  she  had  the  night  she 
begged  to  play  nurse  over  our  unconscious 
Mars.  She  looked  older,  graver,  but  so  gentle, 
so  patient  in  the  trouble  that  had  come  into  her 
young  life.  Whatever  that  trouble  might  have 
been  J  could  not  say.  There  was  something 
very  pathetic  about  the  slender  little  figure  as 
she  stood  there. 

For  all  answer  to  my  question,  she  shook  her 
head,  smiling  rather  sadly,  yet  striving  to  throw 
archness  into  her  accompanying  gesture.  The 
faint  shrug  of  her  pretty  shoulders,  the  forward 
movement  of  her  hands,  with  open  and  extended 
palms, — something  so  Southern  in  it  all.  I  could 
not  help  noting  it.  Possibly  I  stared,  as  previous 
confessions  indicate  that  I  had  that  adventurous 
night  in  the  cars. 

My  rudeness  caused  her  to  turn  sharply  away 
with  heightened  color. 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

Then  came  general  good-byes,  good  speeds, 
good  lucks,  promises  to  write, — those  promises, 
like  so  many  others,  made  only  to  be  broken. 
We  clambered  into  the  carriage.  Already  the 
driver  was  gathering  his  whip  and  reins;  had 
"  chucked"  to  his  sleepy  team.  Harrod  was 
sitting  on  the  side  nearest  the  group  on  the 
steps ;  I  craning  my  neck  forward  for  a  last  look 
at  them.  Kitty  was  eagerly  bending  forward; 
her  lips  parted,  her  eyes  dilated,  her  fingers 
working  nervously.  Already  the  wheels  had 
begun  to  crunch  through  the  gravel,  when  with 
sudden  movement  she  darted  like  a  bird  down 
the  steps. 

" Harrod!"  she  cried. 

"  Hold  on,  driver,"  was  the  response,  as  he 
bent  to  the  doorway  to  meet  her. 

Standing  on  tiptoe,  her  tiny  white  hands 
clutching  his  arm,  a  vivid  color  shooting  over 
her  face,  her  eyes  one  moment  nervously,  appre- 
hensively, reproachfully  glancing  at  me,  plainly 
saying,  "  Please  don't  listen,"  then,  raised  to  his 
bronzed,  tender  face,  as  he  bent  ear  towards  her 
lips  in  response  to  the  evident  appeal.  She  rap- 
idly whispered  half  a  dozen  words.  "  Do  you 
understand?  Sure  you  understand?"  she  ques- 
tioned eagerly,  as  now  she  leaned  back,  looking 
up  into  his  eyes. 

He  bent  still  farther,  kissed  her  forehead. 
"  Sure,"  he  nodded.  "  Sure." 


112  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

Then  back  she  sprang.  Crack  went  the  whip, 
and  we  rolled  away  towards  the  gate. 

Looking  back,  my  eyes  took  in  for  the  last 
time  the  old  home ;  and  the  picture  lingers  with 
me,  will  live  with  me  to  the  end  of  my  lonely 
life.  The  red-gold  light  of  the  setting  sun 
streamed  in  all  its  glory  on  the  southern  front 
of  the  quaint  plantation  house.  The  tangled 
shrubbery,  the  sombre  line  of  the  dense  forest 
beyond  the  fields,  the  vines  and  tendrils  that 
clung  about  the  gallery  railing  and  the  wooden 
pillars,  the  low-hanging  eaves,  the  moss-covered 
line  of  porch-roof, — all  were  tinged,  gilded, 
gleaming  here  and  there  with  the  warmth  and 
glow  of  the  gladness-giving  rays.  The  windows 
above  blazed  with  their  reflected  glory.  Even 
old  Blonde's  curly  hide  and  Jake  Biggs's  woolly 
pate  gained  a  lustre  they  never  knew  before. 
All  around  the  evidences  of  approaching  decay 
and  present  dilapidation,  so  general  throughout 
the  bright  sunny  South  years  after  the  war,  all 
around  the  homeliest  objects,  the  wheelbarrow  and 
garden  tools,  there  clung  a  tinge  of  gladness  in 
answering  homage  to  the  declining  king  of  day ; 
but,  central  figures  of  all,  the  trio  we  left  upon 
the  steps,  they  fairly  stood  in  a  halo  of  mellow 
gold.  The  gray-haired  gentleman  waving  his 
thin  hand  in  parting  salutation;  the  noble, 
womanly  girl  at  his  side,  half  supporting,  half 
leaning  upon  him ;  and  on  the  lower  stair,  kiss- 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  H3 

ing  her  hand,  waving  her  dainty  kerchief,  her 
eyes  dancing,  her  cheeks  aflame,  her  white  teeth 
flashing  through  the  parted  lips,  her  fragile  form 
all  radiance,  all  sweet,  glowing,  girlish  beauty, 
stood  Kitty  Carrington ;  she  who  but  a  moment 
before  had  seemed  so  patiently  sad. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  anything  prettier  ?"  I 
gasped,  as  at  last  the  winding  roadway  hid  them 
from  our  sight. 

"  Kitty,  Brandon  ? — she's  a  darling !"  was  the 
warm-hearted  answer. 

That  was  precisely  my  opinion. 

All  the  way  into  Sandbrook  1  was  tortured 
with  curiosity  to  know  the  purport  of  the  mys- 
terious parting  whisper.  It  would  not  do  to  let 
Colonel  Summers  suspect  that  of  me;  neither 
would  it  answer  to  propound  any  question.  We 
had  much  to  talk  of  that  is  of  no  interest  and 
has  no  bearing  on  our  story,  but  it  kept  us  em- 
ployed until  we  reached  the  station. 

Our  train  was  due  at  7.45,  going  west,  tho 
same  hour  at  which  the  troops  had  left.  Their 
single  passenger-car  and  the  four  freight-cars  on 
which  their  horses  were  carried  had  been  coupled 
to  the  regular  train.  They  had  gone,  we  learned, 
to  Grand  Junction ;  thence  down  the  Mississippi 
Central.  The  station-master  was  an  old  army 
friend  of  the  colonel's.  He  received  us  with  all 
courtesy,  and  immediately  asked  us  into  his  own 
little  office. 

h  10* 


114  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

"  Reckon  you'd  best  just  make  yourselves  com- 
fortable, gentlemen ;  that  train's  nigh  onto  two 
hours  late,  near  as  I  can  make  it." 

"  Two  hours  late !  Why,  that  will  ruin  our 
connection !"  exclaimed  Harrod. 

"  They're  going  to  try  and  make  the  Central 
wait  over,"  was  the  answer,  "  but  I'd  bet  high 
on  our  being  later'n  we  think  for.  Once  a  fellow 
gets  off  his  schedule  on  this  road,  he's  more  apt 
to  be  losing  all  the  time  than  gaining." 

The  colonel  and  I  looked  at  each  other  a  mo- 
ment in  some  dismay.  Quandary  though  it  was, 
there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  wait,  and  wait  we 
did,  two — three  hours.  The  darkness  grew  in- 
tense back  towards  the  Tennessee ;  the  loungers 
in  the  waiting-room  or  platform  in  groups  of 
two  or  three,  rose,  yawned,  stretched  themselves, 
"  'Lowed  t'warn't  no  use  waitin' ;  could  see  the 
derned  train  any  other  night  just  as  well/'  and 
took  themselves  and  their  tobacco-juice  off.  The 
lights  across  the  way,  beyond  the  tracks,  died 
out  one  by  one,  until  only  those  two  were  left 
which  represented  the  rival  saloons,  still  keeping 
open  for  the  presumable  benefit  of  some  prowler 
hoping  to  get  trusted  for  a  drink.  Finally  only 
the  station-master  and  ourselves  were  left,  all 
drowsy,  but  the  former  still  seated,  with  his  one 
remaining  hand  close  to  his  telegraph  instru- 
ment. Still  no  news  of  the  train.  I  began  to 
doze. 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  H5 

It  could  not  have  been  more  than  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes  before  the  clicking  of  the  instrument 
aroused  me.  Having  long  since  ceased  to  care 
whether  the  train  now  came  or  not,  since  we  had 
heard  by  nine  that  the  Central  would  not  wait, 
I  only  sleepily  gazed  at  the  operator.  The  colonel 
had  gone  asleep,  and  the  sound  did  not  awake 
him.  But  another  moment  the  expression  on 
the  face  of  the  man  sitting  so  intently  over  his 
table  aroused  me  to  eagerness.  At  first  profes- 
sionally indifferent,  it  grew  suddenly  clouded; 
then  a  look  of  keen  distress  came  upon  it  as  he 
quickly  glanced  around  at  his  old  comrade. 

I  involuntarily  sprang  up  and  approached  the 
table.  He  had  written  half  the  message,  then 
dropped  pencil  and  hammered  away  at  the  key. 

"  For  him,"  said  he,  with  a  backward  jerk  of 
the  head  to  indicate  the  colonel. 

It  seemed  an  endless  time  before  he  could  get 
the  thing  straightened  out  and  the  message 
written. 

"  Please  wake  him,"  said  he. 

I  gently  shook  Harrod's  shoulder.  He  started 
up  with  soldierly  promptitude. 

"  Train  coming  ?"  he  asked,  as  be  began  gath- 
ering his  traps. 

"  Not  yet,  colonel.  It's  news  from  the  boys, 
the  cavalry." 

"  Got  to  New  Orleans  all  right  ?" 

"  Got  there ;  but — read  for  yourself." 


116  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

"With  a  face  that  paled  even  in  the  dim  light 
of  the  station,  and  lips  that  trembled  under  his 
moustache,  the  colonel  read,  handed  it  to  rue 
without  a  word,  and  turned  away. 

This  was  the  message : 

"  NEW  ORLEANS,  Tuesday. 
"  COLONEL  H.  SUMMERS,  Sandbrook  Station,  M.  and  0.  K.  K., 

Alabama. 

"  Arrived  yesterday.  Vinton  dangerously  ill ;  delirious 
Post  surgeons  in  cbarge.  If  possible,  come. 

"PRANK  AMORT." 

Then  we  three  looked  at  one  another  with 
faces  sad  and  blanched.  Harrod  was  the  first  to 
speak. 

"  May  I  take  your  horse,  Billy  ?" 
"  Yes,  and  the  house  and  barn  if  it'll  help." 
"  Then  I'm  off  for  home  at  once,  for  Pau- 
line." 

The  delay  of  that  train  was  a  blessing  in  dis- 
guise. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

A  DIM,  murky  morning  it  was  that  dawned  on 
Sandbrook  the  following  day.  I  had  spent  the 
livelong  night  at  the  station.  The  missing  train 
came  unheeded,  soon  after  Colonel  Summers  on 
"  Billy's"  horse  loped  off  into  the  northern  dark- 
ness. I  had  sent  a  dispatch  to  Amory,  care 
of  Department  Headquarters  in  New  Orleans. 
"  Billy"  had  hospitably  invited  me  to  share  his 
humble  breakfast,  made  most  relishable  though 
by  the  steaming  coffee  "  cooked"  army  fashion 
in  a  battered  old  pot  with  a  reliable  lid.  I  had 
noted  with  respect  and  with  pleasure  the  fine 
picture  of  General  Lee  hanging  over  the  narrow 
mantel,  and  the  battered  old  cavalry  sabre  be- 
neath it ;  and  was  beginning  to  ask  myself  how 
I  could  best  employ  the  day  until  evening  train- 
time,  when  the  rapid  beat  of  hoofs  and  the 
familiar  rattle  of  the  carriage-wheels  sounded  in 
my  ears. 

"Hyar  they  come,"  said  "Billy."  "I  knew 
they  would." 

Even  before  we  could  reach  the  platform,  the 
carriage  had  whirled  up  there  and  Harrod  sprang 
from  the  box-seat. 

117 


118  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

"  That  freight  gone  by  yet,  Billy  ?" 

"  The  freight !  Lord,  no !  Colonel,  you're 
not  going  to  take  Miss  Summers  that  way?" 

"  It  hasn't  gone,  dear,"  he  quickly  spoke  to  the 
silent  inmate  of  the  carriage.  "  But  it's  due  how 
soon  ?"  turning  again  to  his  friend. 

"  Ten  minutes,  colonel,  and  on  time,  too,  if 
you're  hound  to  go  by  her." 

"  By  all  means.  "We  may  strike  something  at 
Corinth;  if  not,  we'll  go  on  to  the  Junction." 
Then  with  lowered  voice,  "Anything  is  better 
than  waiting  at  such  a  time.  We'd  better  get 
them  out,  I  think." 

Them !  Who  could  be  there  ?  thought  I,  for 
up  to  this  time  I  had  thought  best  not  to  intrude. 
Now  I  stepped  forward  as  he  opened  the  carriage- 
door,  and  with  light,  quick  spring  out  popped 
Kitty. 

"Mr.  Brandon  will  take  charge  of  you,  Kit; 
there's  a  dear,"  said  he,  gently,  then  turned  again 
to  the  door,  and  tenderly  handed  out  his  sister. 
She  came  instantly  to  me  with  dry  eyes,  and  firm, 
low  voice,  only  with  face  so  pale.  She  frankly 
held  forth  her  hand,  which — which  I  took  in  both 
my  own. 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  further  ?" 

I  shook  my  head. 

"  And  you  have  been  sitting  up  here  all  night 
waiting  for  us  How  kind,  yet  how  tired  you 
must  be !" 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

"  I  never  expected  you  till  evening,"  I  an- 
swered, bluntly,  and  was  rewarded  by  a  look  of 
quick,  reproachful  surprise. 

"  Harrod  reached  us  at  one  o'clock.  It  took 
very  little  time  to  get  ready.  Mr.  Brandon,  can 
you  make  any  conjecture  as  to  the  nature  of  his 
illness?" 

"  None  whatever ;  fever  of  some  kind,  I  am 
half  inclined  to  believe,  contracted  while  off  on 
this  court-martial  tour." 

She  bowed  her  head,  and  now  silent  tears  fell 
from  her  eyes.  Harrod  led  her  to  one  side  and, 
putting  his  arm  around  her,  stood  whispering 
cheeringly  to  her.  Then  I  turned  to  Kitty,  who 
was  very  quietly  engaged  in  getting  out  satchels, 
baskets,  and  travelling-bags ;  all  was  done  before 
I  reached  her. 

"  It  is  a  surprise  to  see  you,  Miss  Kitty." 

"  A  surprise !  Surely  you  did  not  suppose  I 
would  let  Paulie  go  on  so  sad  a  journey  without 
me.  There  are  many  ways  in  which  I  can  help 
her." 

There  was  no  answer  to  the  wisdom  of  that 
statement.  The  distant  whistle  of  the  freight 
had  twice  been  heard,  and  in  ten  minutes  our 
party  of  four  were  disposed  in  the  conductor's 
caboose.  The  situation  had  been  explained  to 
that  officer  in  very  few  words  by  Harrod  and 
"  Billy ;"  and,  with  that  almost  chivalrous  cour- 
tesy which  the  roughest-looking  men  in  the  South 


120  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

show  to  the  gentler  sex  on  all  occasions  I  ever 
witnessed,  the  train-hands  had  busied  themselves 
in  making  a  comfortable  corner  for  the  ladies. 
Rude  and  poor  were  the  appliances,  but  Walter 
Baleigh  never  laid  down  his  priceless  cloak  for 
foot  of  royal  mistress  with  truer  grace  than  did 
those  rough  ex-soldiers  spread  their  blankets, 
coats,  and  pillows  to  make  a  soft  substructure 
for  the  heavy  shawls  which  the  ladies  had  with 
them.  "Watching,  as  I  have  on  a  thousand  occa- 
sions, the  gentle  courtesy  of  Southern  men  to 
women,  high  or  low,  I  never  lack  for  explanation, 
never  wonder  how  they  came  to  fight  so  well. 
Bayard  Taylor  struck  the  key-note  when  he 
wrote, — 

"The  bravest  are  the  tenderest, 
The  loving  are  the  daring." 

At  noon  we  were  at  Corinth  and  eagerly  ques- 
tioning the  officials  there.  N"o  train  till  nine. 

"  What  chance  by  going  to  Grand  Junction  ?" 

"  No  better,  colonel ;  they've  had  the  custom- 
ary smash-up  on  the  Central,  and  'taint  no  use 
trying.  Even  if  the  road  weren't  blocked,  their 
south-bound  express  don't  get  off  as  early  as  ours 
from  here." 

"  Are  there  no  trains  coming  south,  not  even 
freight?" 

"  Colonel,  I'm  sorry,  but  there's  not  a  train 
of  any  kind, — nothin'  except  a  special,  going 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  121 

through  a-whoopin'  for  Orleans,  I  suppose,  with 
a  lot  o'  damyankees." 

"  What !  a  special  with  troops,  do  you  mean  ?" 
asked  Harrod,  eagerly. 

"  Exactly ;  somewhere  from  up  in  Tennessee. 
Two  or  three  companies — but,  Lord !  you  couldn't 
ride  with  them  even  if  they'd  let  you.  They 
telegraphed  ahead  here  for  coffee  for  seventy 
men,  and  want  to  take  the  kettles  on  to  the  next 
station.  Not  much " 

"  Never  mind,  Mr.  Agent,"  broke  in  Harrod, 
impatiently;  "when  are  they  due?" 

"Coffee's  ordered  for  12.30.  Eeckon  they'll 
be  along  very  soon,"  replied  the  nettled  func- 
tionary. 

"  "What  say  you,  Brandon  ?  Shall  we  try 
it?" 

"  Most  assuredly ;  and  I  think  it  can  be  done." 

Four  pairs  of  anxious,  eager  eyes  watched  that 
train  of  "  damyankees"  as  it  came  rushing  into 
the  station  sharp  at  12.30.  A  crowd  of  sullen- 
looking  "  white  trash"  had  gathered,  a  larger 
knot  of  curious  and  eager  darkies,  to  see  the 
sight.  The  engine  whizzed  past  the  platform; 
then  two  passenger-cars,  from  every  window  of 
which  protruded  blue-capped,  dust-begrimed  sol- 
dier heads ;  sentries  stood  at  the  doors,  and  only 
as  the  last  car — a  third  passenger-car — came  op- 
posite us  did  the  train  stop.  A  sharp,  business- 
like young  fellow,  in  dust-covered  fatigue  dress 

F  11 


122  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

with  infantry  shoulder-straps  and  cap,  sprang 
out. 

"  That  coffee  ready  ?"  he  asked,  bounding  at 
the  agent  at  once. 

"  Wall,  I  s'pose  so,"  drawled  the  party  ad- 
dressed, as  though  desirous  of  giving  all  the 
annoyance  he  could. 

"  If  you  want  your  money  you'd  better  know, 
and  lively  too.  We've  no  time  to  waste.  Tumble 
out  here,  Sergeant  Triggs.  Bring  six  men  while 
this  party  is  waking  up." 

Then  as  his  men  went  into  the  kitchen  to  bring 
out  the  steaming  caldrons,  I  asked  if  I  could  see 
the  commanding  officer  on  immediate  and  im- 
portant business. 

"  Certainly,  sir ;  rear  car.     Come  this  way." 

We  followed  him,  Harrod  and  I ;  found  the 
forward  half  of  the  third  car  filled,  as  were  the 
other  two,  with  the  rank  and  file.  At  the  rear 
end  were  half  a  dozen  sleepy,  dusty,  and  dis- 
gusted-looking  gentlemen. 

"  This  is  Major  Williams,  sir,"  said  the  busi- 
ness-like youngster,  and  in  an  instant  he  was  out 
on  the  platform  again. 

A  tall,  dust-colored  officer  rose  to  meet  my  ex- 
tended card  and  hand,  mild  surprise  in  his  eyes. 
"  Major,"  said  I,  "  Major  Vinton,  of  the  cavalry, 
lies  dangerously  ill  in  New  Orleans.  He  is  en- 
gaged to  the  sister  of  my  friend,  Colonel  Sum- 
mers. No  train  leaves  here  until  nine  to-night, 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  123 

and  in  our  eagerness  to  get  to  Vinton  before  it 
be  too  late  we  ask  to  be  taken  with  you." 

For  an  instant  the  commanding  officer  was 
staggered  bj  my  impetuous  harangue,  but  "  he 
rallied." 

"  Major  Vinton,  say  you  ?  I'm  distressed  to 
hear  it.  I  know  him  well  by  reputation,  though 
it  has  not  been  my  good  fortune  to  meet  him. 

We — we  must  find  some  way Excuse  me, 

let  me  speak  one  instant  with  the  quartermas- 
ter." 

He  quickly  stepped  to  a  bulky,  stolid-looking 
youth,  and  addressed  him  in  few  rapid  words. 
The  whistle  blew, — my  heart  stood  still.  He 
sprang  to  a  window,  stuck  out  his  head,  and 
shouted, — 

"  A — a — Mr.  Turpiu.  Stop  the  train.  Don't 
start  till  I  tell  you." 

"  All  right,  sir,"  came  back  in  the  quick,  sharp 
tones  we  had  heard  before. 

Again  the  major  and  the  stolid  youth  met. 
We  heard  snatches  of  the  latter's  words, — "  no 
precedent,  no  authority," — and  my  heart  again 
sank.  Like  Mr.  Perker  of  blessed  memory,  I 
was  about  to  interpose  with  "  But  my  dear  sir, 
my  dear  sir,"  when  Mr.  Turpin  burst  in  like  a 
thunder-clap  at  the  rear  door. 

"Jupiter  Ammon,  fellows!  Blow  the  dust 
from  your  eyes  if  you  want  to  see  the  prettiest 
girl  in  the  South !" 


124  KITTF'S  COTfqUEST. 

"Never  mind  precedent;  we'll  make  a  prece- 
dent," broke  in  the  major,  impatiently.  "  Gen- 
tlemen,"— he  turned  to  us, — "  you  see  how  for- 
lorn are  our  surroundings,  but  you  and  yours  are 
welcome."  The  whole  thing  took  less  time  than 
it  takes  to  read  it. 

Harrod  sprang  for  his  sister.  Mr.  Turpin 
sprang  for  Kitty.  Eager  hands  seized  the  bags 
and  traps,  shoving  them  through  windows,  any- 
where, anyhow ;  and  half  bewildered,  all  grateful, 
all  surprise,  Pauline  and  Kitty  found  themselvefc 
aboard,  and  we  were  spinning  out  of  inhospit- 
able Corinth. 

"  Pardon  our  great  haste,  ladies,"  I  heard  the 
major  saying.  "We  must  be  in  New  Orleans 
some  time  in  the  early  morning."  The  "  dam- 
yankees"  were  going  to  get  us  there  twenty-four 
hours  ahead  of  any  other  arrangement  we  could 
have  made. 

Shall  I  ever  forget  that  almost  breathless  ride  ? 
"  Be  here  to-morrow  morning  without  fail"  were 
the  words  of  the  dispatch  Major  Williams  had 
received  at  the  point  where  his  train  left  the 
Louisville  road  and  swung  into  the  rails  of  the 
Mobile  and  Ohio.  It  was  the  "longer  way 
round," — that  through  Mobile, — but  some  late 
experiences  had  proved  it  the  shorter  way  home ; 
and,  as  the  conductor  presently  explained  to  the 
major,  on  entering  the  car,  "  I've  given  the  engi- 
neer orders  to  jump  her  for  all  she's  worth.  We 


CONQUEST.  125 

only  stop  for  water  and  passing  one  up-train. 
Even  the  express  has  to  side-track  for  us." 

Then  the  conductor  wiped  his  hot  brow,  and 
with  infinite  surprise  looked  first  at  the  ladies 
just  getting  settled  into  the  seats  eager  hands  had 
been  dusting  and  preparing  for  them,  then  at  me. 
Then  Harrod  came  quickly  to  us,  and  in  him  he 
recognized  at  once  Colonel  Summers  of  the  Ala- 
bama cavalry  of  by-gone  days.  With  the  Free- 
masonry of  old  campaigners,  they  gripped  hands 
before  questions  of  any  kind  were  put.  Harrod 
promptly  explained  the  situation.  "  Thanks  to 
these  gentlemen,  we  are  permitted  to  share  their 
car.  Of  course  we  settle  with  you  for  the  fare. 
But  for  their  kindness  we  could  not  have  reached 
New  Orleans  before  late,  perhaps  too  late,  to- 
morrow night." 

The  conductor  turned  to  the  officers  :  "  Major 
"Williams,  sir  (yes,  he  did  say  "  sah,"  and  I  liked 
to  hear  it),  I  want  to  thank  you  in  the  name  of 
the  road  for  your  prompt  courtesy  to  these  friends 
of  mine.  I  had  to  jump  for  the  telegraph-office 
myself,  and  did  not  see  them.  You  can  just  bet 
your  life,  sir,  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  shall  know 
of  it,  and  they'll  thank  you  in  a  way  I'm  not 
empowered  to." 

And  so,  whizzing  at  forty-five  miles  an  hour. 
Southron  and  Yank  were  drawing  into  the 
brotherhood  of  a  common  sympathy. 

And  so  it  went  all  through  that  grimy  after- 
11* 


126  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

noon.  "With  what  unremitting  thoughtfulness 
and  care  those  fellows  looked  after  our  fair 
charges  !  The  sanctity  of  her  grief  and  anxiety 
rendered  Miss  Summers  the  object  of  the  deepest 
respect  and  sympathy.  Reclining  at  the  rear  of 
the  car,  her  veil  drawn  over  her  face,  none  but 
Harrod  ventured  to  approach  her;  but  Kitty  was 
the  centre  of  incessant  attention,  and  through 
her  all  manner  of  improvised  delicacies  were 
brought  to  Pauline.  The  dust  was  stifling, 
and  indefatigable  Mr.  Turpin  appeared  from 
somewhere  in  front  with  a  tin  basin  filled  with 
cracked  ice.  The  doctor  came  forward  with  a 
silver  cup  of  delicious  lemonade  (he  had  levied 
on  his  pannier  for  lime-juice  and  powdered  sugar) 
dexterously  rendered  soulful  by  a  dash  of  Vini 
Gallici.  Kitty  smiled  her  thanks  to  both,  and  a 
duplicate  of  the  beverage  was  grateful  to  her 
silent  cousin.  "We  flew  over  the  rattling  rails, 
and  the  jarring  was  incessant.  The  doctor  pro- 
duced an  air-pillow  for  Pauline's  head.  "We 
stopped  somewhere  for  water,  and  the  major  dis- 
appeared. The  ladies  had  brought  luncheon  in 
a  large  basket — but  no  appetites.  The  soldiers 
had  rations  and  were  filled.  The  officers  had  not 
had  a  mouthful  since  a  breakfast  at  3  A.M.,  and 
were  hungry.  No  chance  for  a  bite  until  5  P.M., 
when,  said  the  conductor,  they  might  grab  a 
sandwich  at  Ragsdale's,  at  Meridian.  "  But  we 
can't  stop  three  minutes,  boys."  Kitty  overheard 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  127 

it.  She  was  in  animated  conversation  with  a  tall 
subaltern,  who  claimed  to  be  from  Kentucky. 
They  were  sitting  three  seats  ahead  of  Miss 
Summers,  who  was  undisturbed  by  their  chatter ; 
all  voices  were  subdued  as  far  as  was  possible. 
Mr.  Turpin,  who  was  a  man  of  few  words  but  vast 
action,  was  hovering  about,  eager  for  a  chance  to 
do  something.  She  knew  it.  They  all  seem  to 
have  infinite  intuition  that  way. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Turpin,  would  you  please  bring  me 
our  lunch-basket?"  And  Turpin  was  down  upon 
us  like  his  namesake  of  old,  demanding  the  bas- 
ket in  a  manner  suggestive  of  "or  your  lives." 
Another  second  and  it  was  deposited  in  front  of 
her,  and  she  bade  him  summon  his  brother- 
hood; and  they  went,  even  the  stolid  quarter- 
master, who  felt  sheepish  apparently.  And  there 
she  sat  like  a  little  Lady  Bountiful,  dispensing 
to  each  and  all  (a  Southern  lunch-basket  reminds 
me  of  the  parable  of  the  loaves  and  fishes),  and 
they  surrounded  her,  eating  and  adoring. 

At  five  we  rolled  into  Meridian,  and  Rags- 
dale's  sandwiches  were  forgotten.  Major  Wil- 
liams sprang  from  the  train. 

"Yes,  dear,"  I  heard  Harrod  saying  to  his 
sister,  "I  will  try  and  send  a  dispatch  from 
here,"  and  with  that  he  rose.  I  went  with  him 
in  search  of  the  telegraph-office.  At  the  door 
we  met  the  major,  some  open  dispatches  in  hi& 
hand. 


128  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

"Have  we  time  to  send  a  despatch  to  !N"ew 
Orleans  ?"  asked  Harrod,  eagerly. 

"  Hardly,"  said  the  major,  with  a  quiet  smile. 
"  But  won't  this  do  ?"  and  he  placed  in  Harrod'a 
hand  one  of  the  papers.  The  message  read  : 

"  Telegram  received.  Assure  Vinton's  friends  that  fever 
is  less.  He  receives  best  care.  We  are  hopeful  now. 

"  REYNOLDS,  A.A.G." 

"  Thank  God !"  I  uttered. 

Summers,  with  tears  starting  to  his  eyes, 
grasped  the  soldier's  hand. 

"  You  are  a  very  thoughtful  man,  sir." 

"  All  aboard !"  yelled  the  conductor.  "  Get 
those  lamps  lit  now." 

Somehow  I  was  glad  it  was  dusk  in  the  car  as 
we  sprang  aboard.  Harrod,  with  quick,  eager 
step,  went  directly  to  her.  Something  told  her 
he  had  news,  and  she  rose,  throwing  back  her 
veil,  and  bent  eagerly  forward.  He  placed  the 
paper  in  her  hand,  and,  clutching  it,  she  seemed 
to  devour  the  contents.  Kitty  had  turned  quickly 
to  look.  Conversation  somehow  had  ceased. 
Then  we  saw  her  glance  one  instant  up  in  his 
face.  Then  his  strong  arms  were  round  her, 
for,  burying  her  face  in  his  breast,  she  had  burst 
into  a  passion  of  almost  hysterical  weeping. 
Then  we  all  turned  away  and  shook  hands.  The 
whole  car  knew  Vinton  was  better.  One  soldier 


KITTrS  CONQUEST.  129 

up  in  front  wanted  to  give  three  cheers,  but  was 
promptly  suppressed.  Kitty's  own  eyes  were 
overflowing  as  she  received  the  congratulations 
of  the  lately  banquetted,  and  with  a  great  load 
off  our  hearts  we  sped  onward  through  the  dark- 
ness. 

Two  sweet  pictures  remain  in  my  memory  of 
that  strange  night.  First  was  that  of  Miss  Sum- 
mers and  Major  "Williams.  At  her  request  Har- 
rod  brought  him  to  her,  that  she  might  thank 
him  for  the  thoughtfulness,  the  delicate  atten- 
tion he  had  shown.  Her  face  was  exquisite  in 
the  revival  of  hope,  in  the  intensity  of  gratitude. 

The  second  was  about  11  P.M.  We  had  had 
to  make  some  stops.  Our  run  was  now  less  im- 
peded. It  had  grown  chilly  and  raw.  Coming 
in  from  the  front,  whither  I  had  gone  to  smoke 
with  the  conductor,  I  found  the  inmates  of  the 
rear  of  our  car  apparently  buried  in  slumber, 
except  one  figure.  Mr.  Turpin,  with  his  blouse 
collar  turned  up  and  his  hands  in  his  pockets, 
was  sitting  bolt  upright.  Two  seats  behind  him, 
her  fair  hair  curling  about  her  rounded  cheek, 
sleeping  like  a  babe  after  all  the  fatigues  and 
excitements  of  the  day,  but  from  neck  to  foot 
completely  enveloped  in  a  cloak  of  army  blue, 
was  Kitty  Carrington,  our  rampant  little  rebel 
Kit. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

EARLY  in  the  morning,  earlier  even  than  1 
had  supposed  possible,  the  conductor's  voice  was 
heard  announcing  to  somebody  that  we  would 
be  in  New  Orleans  in  less  than  half  an  hour.  I 
had  been  sleeping  somewhat  uneasily,  curled  up 
on  one  of  the  seats.  I  was  dimly  conscious  of 
the  fact  that  at  some  unknown  hour  in  the  night 
another  telegram  had  been  received  referring  to 
Vinton,  and  that  Miss  Summers  was  wide  awake 
when  it  came.  I  remember  Harrod's  bending 
over  and  kissing  her,  and  hearing  the  words, 
"  That  is  better  yet."  Then  sleep  again  over- 
powered me.  Now,  at  daybreak,  I  arose  and 
gazed  around  the  dimly-lighted  car.  Miss  Sum- 
mers, Harrod,  and  Major  Williams  were  the  only 
occupants  apparently  astir.  The  former  was  sit- 
ting near  the  opened  window;  the  cool,  salty 
breeze  from  the  Gulf  was  playing  with  the  rip- 
ples of  fair  hair  that  clustered  about  her  fore- 
head. She  looked  very  white  and  wan  in  the 
uncertain  light,  but  there  was  a  womanly  ten- 
derness and  sweetness  about  her  face  that  made 
it  inexpressibly  lovely  to  me.  She  was  gazing 
wistfully  out  over  the  sea  of  marsh  and  swamp, 

130 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  13] 

as  though  longing  to  bridge  the  distance  that 
etill  separated  us  from  the  city,  where  he  lay 
battling  with  that  insidious  enemy.  Harrod  and 
the  major  were  in  earnest  conversation.  Other 
occupants  of  the  car  were  beginning  to  stir  un- 
easily, as  though  warned  that  soon  they  must  be 
up  and  doing ;  but  Kitty  still  slept,  and  the  cloak 
of  army  blue  still  covered  her.  Mr.  Turpin  had 
disappeared. 

A  few  moments  more  and  the  officers  had 
been  aroused ;  the  men  were  donning  their  belts 
and  equipments;  Pauline  herself  stepped  for- 
ward, and,  bending  over  her  pretty  cousin, 
roused  her  from  her  baby-like  sleep ;  and  glancing 
from  the  windows,  I  could  see  that  we  were  roll- 
ing up  the  "  Elysian  Fields."  Then  came  the 
curving  sweep  around  on  the  broad  levee.  All 
looked  quiet,  even  deserted,  as  we  passed  the 
Mint  and  the  wide  thoroughfare  of  Esplanade 
Street.  Some  of  the  lamps  still  burned  dimly 
in  the  cafes  and  bars,  but  no  trace  of  commotion 
or  excitement  could  be  discerned.  It  was  with 
some  little  surprise  then  that  our  eyes  met  the 
warlike  scene  as  we  rolled  into  the  station  at  the 
foot  of  Canal  Street. 

The  instant  the  train  stopped,  our  car  was 
boarded  by  an  alert  gentleman  in  civilian  dress 
whom  I  had  often  seen,  and  whom  I  knew  to  be 
an  aide-de-camp  on  the  staff  of  the  commanding 
general.  He  came  at  once  to  Major  Williams ; 


132  KITTY'S  CON  QV ESI. 

shook  hands  with  him,  and  conveyed  some  orderb 
in  a  low  tone  of  voice ;  then  asked  to  be  presented 
to  Colonel  Summers.  Major  "Williams  brought 
him  to  where  our  group  of  four  was  then  stand- 
ing, at  the  rear  of  the  car, — Miss  Summers,  Kitty, 
Harrod,  and  myself. 

"  Let  me  introduce  Colonel  Newhall,  of  Gen- 
eral Emory's  staff,"  he  said,  and  the  colonel, 
raising  his  hat  in  general  salutation  to  the  party, 
spoke  in  the  hurried,  nervous  way  I  afterwards 
found  was  habitual  with  him,  despite  the  sang- 
froid that  distinguished  him  at  all  times  save  in 
the  presence  of  ladies. 

"  I  have  come  direct  from  Major  Vinton's  room, 
Colonel  Summers,  and  am  happy  to  tell  you  that 
the  doctors  pronounce  him  much  better.  The 
general  charged  me  to  bring  you  the  latest  news 
of  him,  and  to  express  to  you  and  to  your  ladies 
his  warm  interest  and  sympathy." 

Then  we  had  not  come  as  strangers  to  a  strange 
land.  I  glanced  at  Pauline,  as  her  brother, 
warmly  grasping  the  staff-officer's  hand,  pre- 
sented him  to  her  and  to  Kitty.  Her  clear, 
brave  eyes  were  suffused  with  tears  and  she  did 
not  venture  to  speak  a  word ;  but  she  was  infi- 
nitely moved  by  the  constantly  recurring  evi- 
dences of  interest  in  her  and  her  gallant  lover. 
Such  an  informal  announcement  of  an  engage- 
ment perhaps  was  not  strictly  in  accordance  with 
the  prevailing  customs  of  society,  but  the  exi- 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  133 

gencies  of  the  case  put  all  such  considerations 
aside.  Everybody  on  our  train  knew  the  story  of 
course,  and  it  had  evidently  been  telegraphed  to 
headquarters.  Meantime,  Major  Williams  had 
been  superintending  the  debarkation  of  his  men, 
and  they  were  forming  ranks  on  the  platform  out- 
side. Beyond  them,  a  long  line  of  stacked  arms 
was  guarded  by  sentries,  and  several  companies 
of  infantry  were  grouped  behind  them,  watching 
with  professional  interest  the  arrival  of  comrade 
soldiery.  A  number  of  omeers  had  gathered  at 
the  side  of  the  car, — very  weary  they  looked  too, 
and  far  from  jaunty  in  their  dusty  fatigue  uni- 
forms ;  but  they  were  intent  on  welcoming  Major 
"Williams  and  his  command,  and  at  that  hour  in 
the  morning,  costume  and  unshaven  chins  were 
not  subject  to  criticism.  Time  and  again  it  had 
been  my  lot  to  be  at  this  very  station,  but  never 
before  had  I  seen  it  thronged  with  troops.  It 
was  evident  that  matters  of  grave  moment  were 
going  on  in  the  city. 

Colonel  Newhall  had  left  the  car  for  a  moment 
and  Harrod  came  to  me : 

"  It  seems  that  Vinton  is  at  Colonel  Newhall's 
quarters  on  Royal  Street,  Mr.  Brandon.  He  met 
the  troop  on  its  arrival  in  town,  and  finding  Yin- 
ton  wellnigh  delirious  with  fever,  had  him  taken 
at  once  to  his  lodgings.  There  are  a  number  of 
vacant  rooms,  he  tells  me,  and  he  has  made  all 
arrangements  to  take  us  right  there ;  so  there  we 

12 


134  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

will  go.  The  St.  Charles  is  crowded,  and  Pauline 
naturally  wants  to  be  near  him.  I  think  it  the 
best  arrangement  that  could  possibly  be  made." 

Even  as  he  finished,  the  colonel  came  in  to  say 
that  the  carriage  was  ready.  Harrod,  Pauline, 
Kitty  and  I  followed  him  to  the  platform.  The 
group  of  officers  standing  there  courteously  raised 
their  forage-caps  as  our  ladies  passed  them.  Kitty 
looked  furtively  about  her  as  she  stepped  from 
the  car,  and  Mr.  Turpin  sprang  forward  to  take 
her  light  satchel.  It  was  but  a  few  steps  to  the 
carriage.  Pauline  and  Kitty  were  handed  in. 
Summers  and  Colonel  Newhall  took  their  seats 
in  the  carriage.  "We  shook  hands  all  round 
without  saying  much  of  anything,  except  that  I 
should  meet  them  later  in  the  day;  the  driver 
cracked  his  whip,  and  away  they  went  up  Canal 
Street,  Mr.  Turpin  and  I  gazing  after  them. 

Even  as  we  looked,  there  came  trotting  down 
the  stone  pavement  towards  us  a  pair  of  cavalry- 
men. The  one  in  front,  tall,  slender,  erect,  I 
recognized  at  once  as  Frank  Amory.  The  one 
in  rear  was  evidently  his  orderly.  Never  no- 
ticing the  carriage,  which  had  hurried  off  on 
the  Custom-House  side  of  the  street,  the  former 
rode  rapidly  to  the  very  point  where  we  were 
standing.  I  saw  Mr.  Turpin  look  eagerly  at 
him,  then  spring  forward. 

"  Sheep,  old  man,  how  are  you  ?" 

"  Hello,  Cyclone !  when  did  you  get  here  ?' 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  135 

and  throwing  the  reins  to  his  orderly,  Frank 
Amory  sprang  from  the  saddle,  and  warmly 
grasped  Mr.  Turpin  by  the  hand.  The  boys 
were  classmates. 

It  was  perhaps  a  minute  before  Amory  noticed 
that  I  was  standing  there,  so  absorbed  was  he  in 
greeting  his  comrade.  The  moment  he  caught 
sight  of  me,  however,  he  stepped  quickly  forward. 
Quite  a  number  of  the  younger  officers  had  gath- 
ered around  by  this  time,  and  with  heightened 
color  he  looked  eagerly  in  my  face. 

"  "When  did  you  come?  Who — who  else  came  ?" 
he  asked,  excitedly. 

"  We  arrived  only  a  few  minutes  ago,"  I  said. 
"  Miss  Summers,  Miss  Kitty,  and  the  colonel  with 
me.  They  just  drove  off  in  that  carriage.  We 
are  so  rejoiced  to  hear  Major  Yinton  is  better." 

"  You  don't  say  so !"  he  exclaimed,  then  stopped 
short,  as  though  at  a  loss  what  to  add.  "  I — I 
had  no  idea  she — you  could  get  here  so  soon. 
Vinton  is  better,  thank  God !  Where  have  they 
gone  ?" 

"  To  Colonel  Newhall's  quarters,"  I  answered. 
"  It  seems  there  are  several  rooms,  and  the  col- 
onel says  his  landlady  will  take  the  best  of  care 
of  them.  Then  they  will  be  near  him,  which  is 
something  to  be  considered." 

"Why,  Sheep,  did  you  know  Colonel  Sum- 
mers and  Miss  Carrington  ?"  broke  in  Mr.  Tur- 
pin, suddenly. 


136  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

"  Tes,  quite  well.  I  was  stationed  near  them," 
was  the  answer,  given  with  some  constraint. 

Mr.  Turpin  stuck  his  hands  deep  in  his  pockets 
and  said  not  another  word.  Other  officers  crowded 
about  Mr.  Amory  to  inquire  for  Major  Vinton, 
and  to  ask  lor  news.  Presently  Major  "Williams 
came  up  with  Colonel  Starr,  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  battalion  that  was  "  in  bivouac"  at 
the  station,  and  I  was  presented  to  the  latter. 
From  them  I  learned  something  of  the  situa- 
tion. 

They  had  been  on  guard  all  night  there  at  the 
station.  What  for  they  could  not  exactly  tell. 
It  seems  that  one  faction  of  the  Legislature  oc- 
cupied the  temporary  State-House ;  another  had 
its  headquarters  over  a  prominent  bar-room  in 
Royal  Street ;  and  a  large  concourse  of  citizens 
had  organized  with  military  formalities  and  the 
avowed  intention  of  dislodging  the  factional 
Legislature  from  the  house;  installing  a  Gov- 
ernor of  their  own  choice;  and  subduing  the 
police  force  of  the  city,  now  enrolled  as  a  uni- 
formed and  fully-equipped  battalion  of  infantry, 
with  a  battery  of  field-guns  and  a  squadron  of 
cavalry  as  assistants.  The  police  held  the  vari- 
ous stations,  and  no  encounter  had  taken  place ; 
but  the  citizens  had  turned  out  in  great  numbers, 
and  the  chances  were  that  they  would  prove  too 
powerful  for  the  mixed  array  of  the  police  force; 
and  trouble  had  been  anticipated  for  that  very 


KITTY1  S  CONqUEST.  137 

night,  but  it  had  not  come.  A  strong  battalion 
of  infantry  was  posted  here  at  the  railway  sta- 
tion. Another,  after  a  day  of  weary  marching, 
was  resting  at  a  large  cotton-press  up  the  levee ; 
two  companies  of  cavalry  were  stationed  at  the 
quartermaster's  warehouse  up  in  Magazine  Street, 
near  the  headquarters  of  the  commanding  gen- 
eral, and  two  foot  batteries  from  an  artillery 
regiment  had  spent  the  night  in  the  State-House 
itself.  Cavalry  patrols  had  been  scouting  through 
the  city  all  night,  promptly  reporting  any  un- 
usual gathering,  but  in  no  case  interfering. 
Verily  these  were  strange  accompaniments  to 
the  times  of  piping  peace. 

It  was  after  seven  o'clock  when  I  reached  my 
rooms.  I  was  tired  and  ought  to  have  been 
sleepy  after  the  long,  rapid  ride  by  rail,  but  the 
morning  papers  were  fall  of  exciting  prophecy  as 
to  the  events  of  the  day,  and  sleep  was  out  of 
the  question.  Amory  had  declined  my  invita- 
tion to  breakfast,  saying  that  he  could  not  be 
away  from  his  troop  more  than  fifteen  minutes 
at  a  time,  and  had  only  managed  to  get  down  to 
the  station  while  out  looking  after  his  patrols. 
A  bath  and  a  change  of  raiment  proved  refresh- 
ing. Then  I  took  a  car ;  rode  to  Canal  Street ; 
walked  down  Royal  to  Colonel  Newhall's  lodg- 
ings ;  met  one  of  the  doctors,  who  assured  me 
that  Major  Vinton  was  doing  very  well,  and  that 
later  they  hoped  he  might  be  well  enough  to  see 

12* 


138  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

Miss  Summers.  He  was  still  flighty  and  had  no 
idea  of  his  whereabouts.  The  ladies  were  up- 
stairs resting.  "Would  I  see  them  ?  No,  I  pre- 
ferred not  to  disturb  them,  and  so  went  oft'  by 
myself  to  breakfast  at  my  usual  haunt,  Moreau's. 
The  room  was  already  well  filled  when  I  entered. 
Most  of  the  tables  were  occupied,  many  of  them 
by  prominent  citizens.  Much  earnest  talk  was 
going  on  in  subdued  tones,  and  there  was  an  air 
of  suppressed  excitement  that  was  noticeable  to 
the  most  careless  observer.  Two  of  the  tables 
were  occupied  by  a  party  of  infantry  officers 
whom  I  had  seen  at  the  station,  and  it  was  no 
ticeable  that  within  earshot  of  them  little  was 
being  said  in  reference  to  "  the  situation."  I 
had  several  acquaintances  among  the  business 
men  present,  and  took  a  seat  near  them.  The 
first  words  that  fell  upon  my  ears  were, — 

"  And  it  will  be  done  to-night,  you  may  de- 
pend upon  it." 

"  But  do  you  suppose  that  General  Emory  will 
stand  by  and  allow  such  a  thing  to  go  on  under 
his  very  nose  ?•" 

"  General  Emory  can't  help  himself,  sir.  His 
orders  from  Washington  do  not  permit  him  to 
act  unless  called  upon  by  the  marshal  or  by  the 
State  authorities.  The  whole  thing  will  be  over 
and  done  with  before  they  can  make  their  de- 
mand, and  our  people  will  have  dispersed  before 
the  troops  get  there." 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  139 

"But  suppose  they  get  wind  of  it  and  call  upon 
him  to  station  his  men  to  meet  the  move  ?" 

"  Why,  that  ends  it,  of  course.  We  are  help- 
less in  that  case.  We  don't  mean  to  raise  a  finger 
against  the  general  government.  Let  him  send 
a  corporal's  guard  to  any  one  of  the  places  and 
it's  safe;  but  as  for  this  infernal  mottled  po- 
lice  " 

"Steady!" 

And  then  both  speakers  looked  up  at  the  party 
of  infantry  officers,  who  had  risen  and  were 
quietly  leaving.  Then  they  looked  at  me,  and 
the  rest  of  the  conversation  was  in  too  low  a 
tone  for  any  one  to  hear. 

The  day  was  one  of  restless  anxiety,  yet  of 
apparent  quiet  and  order.  The  broad  "ban- 
quette" of  Canal  Street  was  thronged  with  ladies 
and  children  as  is  customary  on  bright  after- 
noons. The  matinees  at  the  Varieties  and  the 
St.  Charles  Theatre  were  crowded.  At  half-past 
four,  as  I  strolled  up  the  street  under  the  friendly 
shade  of  the  awnings,  that  made  the  wide  side- 
walks one  long  arcade,  I  was  struck  by  the  per- 
fectly peaceful  aspect  of  the  scene.  From  the 
Custom-House  to  Rampart  Street,  on  the  lower 
side  of  the  way,  I  did  not  see  a  policeman,  much 
less  a  soldier  in  uniform;  but  at  all  the  cor- 
ners, the  knots  of  unoccupied  men  were  much 
larger  than  usual;  this  being  especially  the  case 
around  Dumonteil's  and  Lopez's  confectioneries, 


140  KITTFS  CONQUEST 

and  the  well-known  establishment  of  "  Dr.  Sam- 
ple." 

On  the  opposite  side  and  grouped  around  the 
brown-stone  building  of  the  Shakespeare  Club, 
half  a  dozen  men  in  civilian  dress  were  lolling 
about,  and  less  than  one  hundred  yards  up  Dry- 
ades  Street,  as  many  more  were  sitting  or  stand- 
ing around  the  entrance  of  the  massive  Mechan- 
ics' Institute,  now  used  as  a  State-House  and 
place  of  meeting  of  one  at  least  of  the  rival 
Legislatures;  but  there  was  nothing  in  its  ex- 
terior to  indicate  the  state  of  siege  as  described 
in  the  daily  press.  In  all,  there  might  have  been 
one  hundred  loungers  scattered  from  Victor's 
marble-columned  restaurant  on  the  lower  side 
down  to  "  Dr.  Sample's,"  in  the  middle  of  the 
next  block;  but  absolute  quiet  and  order  reigned. 
Some  of  the  windows  in  the  second  story  of  the 
Institute  were  open,  and  occasionally  the  features 
of  some  colored  legislator  could  be  seen  peer- 
ing curiously  and  cautiously  out  towards  Canal 
Street. 

Now  that  demon  of  curiosity  that  has  always 
possessed  me,  prompted  me  to  stroll  across  the 
broad  thoroughfare  and  to  approach  the  entrance 
of  Dryades  Street.  As  a  neutral,  I  felt  serenely 
confident  that  neither  side  would  take  exceptions 
to  my  movements,  but  looking  behind  me  as  I 
reached  the  car-tracks,  I  saw  that  the  listless 
loungers  on  the  banquette  had  crowded  forward 


KITTT'S  CONQUEST. 

to  its  edge,  and  were  watching  me  with  interest. 
Keeping  on,  however,  I  soon  reached  the  upper 
side,  and  deliberately  walked  ahead  as  though 
bent  on  going  to  the  State-House.  The  instant 
I  got  beyond  the  Canal  Street  pavement,  how- 
ever, one  of  the  men  I  had  noticed  at  the  upper 
corner  stepped  quickly  in  front  of  me  and  said, — 

"Pardon  me,  Mr.  Brandon,  where  did  you 
wish  to  go  ?"  Then,  seeing  my  look  of  surprise, 
he  smilingly  added,  "  Of  course  I  know  you,  sir, 
though  you  do  not  know  me ;  I'm  a  detective." 

•'  Why,"  said  I,  "  if  there  be  no  objections,  I 
would  like  to  go  to  the  State-House,  just  to  see 
what  is  going  on." 

"  I'm  sorry,  sir,"  was  the  civil  reply ;  "  at  this 
moment  our  orders  are  to  admit  nobody." 

Now,  I  hated  to  go  back.  I  knew  well  that 
all  those  estimable  fellow-citizens  of  mine  on  the 
other  side  were  watching  the  scene,  and  that 
they  would  be  sure  to  hold  me  in  lighter  esti- 
mation if  I  had  to  retire.  I  put  a  bold  face  on 
the  matter  and  whipped  out  my  card-case. 

"  There  are  two  batteries  of  foot  artillery  in 
there,  I'm  told,  and  among  their  officers  is  a 
gentleman  whom  I  used  to  know  in  New  York 
and  would  like  to  see.  Can  you  send  this  to 
him?"  I  hastily  scrawled  "Late  N".  Y.  7th 
Regt."  under  my  name.  The  detective  took  the 
card;  whistled  to  a  boy  who  stood  near;  the 
youngster  seized  it  and  was  off  like  a  shot; 


142  KITTY 'S  CONQUEST. 

while  my  detective  and  I  walked  slowly  towards 
the  building.  Before  we  reached  the  stone  steps, 
a  fine-looking  fellow  in  the  fatigue  uniform  of 
the  United  States  artillery  came  out  and  looked 
inquiringly  around.  I  stepped  forward  at  once 
and  introduced  myself;  was  most  courteously 
greeted  and  invited  to  walk  in ;  the  police  official 
smilingly  nodded  "All  right  now,"  and,  guided 
by  the  lieutenant,  I  entered  the  mysterious  por- 
tals of  the  besieged  halls  of  government. 

It  was  an  extraordinary  sight  that  met  my 
eyes.  Grouped  inside  the  vestibule,  where  they 
could  not  be  seen  from  Canal  Street,  or  indeed 
from  any  point  on  Dryades  except  directly  in 
front,  were  some  fifty  Metropolitan  police  in 
complete  uniform  and  the  equipments  of  infan- 
try soldiers ;  belts,  cartridge-boxes,  bayonet-scab- 
bards, and  all.  Their  officers,  with  drawn 
swords  and  wearing  shoulder-straps  like  those 
of  the  regular  service,  were  gathered  in  front. 
Stacks  of  "Winchester  rifles  stood  close  by,  many 
of  the  men  having  their  muskets  still  in  their 
hands.  All  the  lower  hall  and  the  staircases 
were  crowded  with  these  improvised  troops, 
some  white,  some  colored,  there  being  white 
men  in  the  rank  and  file,  and  colored  men 
among  the  officers.  All  were  very  quiet,  or- 
derly, and  apparently  well  disciplined.  Some 
of  those  who  were  seated  on  the  stairway  rose 
rather  slowly  to  make  way  for  us,  and  a  colored 


KITTFS  CONqUEST.  143 

officer  in  the  shoulder-straps  of  a  captain  spoke 
in  a  quick,  sharp  tone  to  them ;  and,  black  and 
white,  they  sprang  to  their  feet  and  respectfully 
drew  aside.  At  the  head  of  the  stairs  were  sen- 
tries and  an  officer  of  the  guard,  all  in  police 
uniform,  and  they  saluted  my  artillery  guide 
with  all  the  precision  of  regulars. 

"  Would  you  like  to  look  in  at  your  Legisla- 
ture?" asked  he,  with  a  mischievous  grin.  I 
assented.  The  officer  of  the  guard  opened  a 
door,  and  we  found  ourselves  in  an  inner  hall  or 
vestibule.  Here  we  came  upon  a  dozen  colored 
men  surrounding  a  low  wooden  counter  or  table 
covered  with  pies,  cakes,  sandwiches,  and  fruit. 
Behind  the  counter  sat  an  old  negress  in  vehe- 
ment expostulation. 

"It's  no  use  talkin',  gen'lemen,  you's  just 
wastin'  yo'  time.  Las'  year  I  done  trus'  de  gen- 
'lemen of  de  Senate  an'  Representives,  an'  dey 
ain't  paid  me  yit." 

"But  fo'  de  Lawd's  sake,  Mis'  Fontelieu,  1 
ain't  had  nuffin  to  eat  sence  day  befo'  yis'day 
mawnin',  an'  I's  starvin',  I  is.  Yo'  ought  ter 
have  some  consideration  fo'  gen'lemen  of  de 
Legislature  what's  sufferin'  here  fo'  you  an'  de 
people.  Soon's  we  done  git  our  salaries  we's 
goin'  to  pay  you  fus'  thing.  Ain't  we,  gen'le- 
men?" said  the  spokesman  appealingly  to  his 
brother  Solons. 

"  Of  co'se  we  is,  Mis'  Fontelieu,"   was  the 


144  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

chorus,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  Miss  Fontelieu's 
experiences  with  previous  Legislatures  and  legis- 
lators had  undermined  her  faith  in  the  stability 
of  their  financial  condition,  and  nothing  but  cash 
in  hand  would  induce  her  to  part  with  any  of 
her  stock  in  trade. 

"I'd  buy  them  a  breakfast  myself,"  said  my 
lieutenant,  laughingly,  "  for  I  know  very  well 
that  they  have  had  nothing  to  eat  except  what 
they  could  pick  up  here ;  but  we  contributed  all 
our  spare  greenbacks  yesterday,  and  they'd  be 
just  as  hungry  by  ten  o'clock  to-night." 

"We  pushed  on  through  the  lobby  and  entered 
the  main  room,  the  temporary  hall  of  representa- 
tives, and  here  another  odd  sight  greeted  our 
eyes. 

The  room  was  large,  rectangular  in  shape ;  a 
raised  platform  being  at  the  farther  end;  rows 
of  cane-bottomed  chairs  were  arranged  in  semi- 
circular order  across  the  hall;  a  desk  for  the 
presiding  officer  was  on  the  platform;  and  tables 
and  desks  for  clerks  and  reporters  stood  below 
it.  Scattered  in  groups  all  about  the  room  were 
upwards  of  an  hundred  men,  some  white,  some 
colored,  stretched  at  length  upon  the  chairs, 
others  were  lying  asleep.  The  instant  we  en- 
tered, conversation  ceased,  and  all  looked  eagerly 
and  inquiringly  at  my  companion;  even  some 
of  the  recumbent  figures  straightened  up  and 
gazed  at  him.  Several  stepped  forward  from 


KITTFS   CONqUEST.  145 

the  nearest  group  and  asked  if  there  were  any 
news,  receiving  with  evident  disappointment  his 
civil  reply  that  he  had  heard  nothing. 

"  They  have  been  cooped  up  here  for  nearly 
forty-eight  hours,"  the  lieutenant  explained. 
"You  see,  they've  just  got  a  quorum,  and  the 
Governor  knows  blessed  well  that  if  they  once 
get  out,  the  chances  are  ten  to  one  they'll  never 
get  back.  Either  the  other  crowd  will  mob  them, 
or,  in  fear  of  the  attack  on  the  State-House,  they 
will  keep  in  hiding  somewhere  around  town." 

The  Governor,  with  his  officers,  was  in  his 
private  room,  down-stairs,  my  friend  explained; 
and  the  Senate  was  likewise  blockaded  in  another 
part  of  the  building ;  and  this  was  the  shape  in 
which  one  Governor,  at  least,  of  the  sovereign 
State  of  Louisiana  was  "  holding  the  fort"  against 
all  would-be  adversaries. 

Then  we  left  the  hall  of  unwilling  representa- 
tives; clambered  another  flight  of  stairs,  and 
came  upon  what  the  local  press  had  not  inaptly 
termed  "  the  citadel."  Here,  in  an  upper  room, 
half  a  dozen  officers  of  artillery  of  the  regular 
service  were  killing  time,  reading,  writing,  or 
dozing;  and  most  disgusted  they  looked  with 
their  occupation.  On  being  presented  to  the 
commanding  officer  and  his  comrades  I  was  cour- 
teously greeted  and  invited  to  make  myself  at 
home,  "if,"  said  the  major,  "you  can  find  any 
comfort  in  the  situation.  I've  only  once  in  my 
a  k  13 


146  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

life  been  on  more  distasteful  duty,  and  that  was 
when  we  were  sent  to  break  up  illicit  distilleries 
in  Brooklyn." 

Their  orders,  I  learned,  were  that  both  officers 
and  men  should  remain  in  the  State-House,  and 
not  leave,  even  for  meals,  which  were  to  be  sent 
from  a  neighboring  restaurant;  and  there  they 
had  been  for  two  nights  and  days,  in  readiness 
to  defend  the  place  if  attacked,  yet  having  every 
assurance  that  so  long  as  there  remained  a  "  regu- 
lar" soldier  in  the  building  it  would  not  be  mo- 
lested. No  wonder  they  yawned  and  looked 
bored  to  death ;  and  my  proffer  of  services  was 
gladly  accepted.  "  Send  us  anything  you  may 
have  in  the  way  of  reading  matter,  and  we'll  be 
only  too  thankful,"  was  the  major's  half-laughing, 
half-rueful  reply,  and  after  an  hour's  chat  I  left. 
The  lieutenant  accompanied  me  to  the  entrance, 
where  he  bade  me  good-by.  The  knot  of  detec- 
tives drew  aside  and  passed  me  out  without  re- 
mark. Once  more  I  crossed  Canal  Street,  and 
in  an  instant  found  myself  surrounded  by  a  bevy 
of  eager  reporters,  note-book  and  pencil  in  hand, 
clamoring  for  information.  From  the  obscurity 
of  yesterday,  Mr.  G.  S.  Brandon  had  suddenly 
leaped  into  prominence. 


CHAPTER   X. 

AT  nine  o'clock  that  evening  I  was  seated  on 
a  balcony  overhanging  Royal  Street,  quietly  chat- 
ting with  Miss  Summers,  Kitty  Carrington,  and 
Harrod.  Yinton  was  much  better,  the  doctors 
had  assured  us ;  the  fever  was  broken ;  he  had 
recognized  Pauline  during  the  afternoon,  and 
was  now  asleep.  The  doctor  had  advised  her  to 
lie  down  and  rest,  for,  after  all  her  anxiety  and 
the  excitement  of  her  rapid  journey,  she  was 
looking  very  white  and  wan ;  but  after  an  hour 
in  her  room  she  had  again  appeared,  pleading 
that  she  could  not  sleep,  and  Harrod  had  led  her 
out  to  the  balcony,  where  we  sat  enjoying  the 
evening  air.  Colonel  Newhall  had  not  returned 
from  headquarters.  We  saw  him  for  an  instant 
at  Moreau's,  whither  Harrod,  Kitty,  and  I  had 
gone  for  dinner,  about  six  o'clock,  leaving  Pauline 
to  share  the  simple  tea  offered  her  by  the  sympa- 
thetic landlady.  He  had  stopped  just  long  enough 
to  say  that  it  was  not  probable  that  he  would 
be  home  during  the  evening, — he  was  needed 
at  the  office, — and  then  had  walked  briskly  away. 
Coming  home  we  could  not  help  noticing  how 
many  men  there  were  standing  in  quiet  groups 

147 


A48  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

about  the  Clay  statue  and  all  along  Canal  Street; 
but  Royal  Street,  generally  so  busy  and  bustling, 
was  strangely  quiet,  wellnigh  deserted.  It  was 
an  exquisite  night;  the  moon  was  at  her  full, 
and  objects  across  the  narrow  thoroughfare  were 
almost  as  distinct  as  in  broad  daylight.  I  could 
easily  read  the  signs  over  the  shops,  and  distin- 
guish the  features  of  the  few  people  who  passed. 
It  was  very  still,  too.  Off  to  our  left,  towards 
Canal  Street,  the  roar  of  wheels  over  the  massive 
pavement  was  to  be  heard,  but  few  sounds  broke 
the  stillness  near  our  balcony.  Some  distance 
down  the  street  a  clear,  ringing  voice  was  carol- 
ling the  page's  song  from  "  Mignon" ;  across  the 
way  two  or  three  darkies  were  chattering  in  that 
indescribable  language  that  sounds  like  French, 
yet  is  no  more  French  than  Siamese,  the  patois 
of  the  Creole  negroes ;  but  not  a  wheel  or  hoof 
awakened  the  echoes  of  the  compact  rows  ot 
old-fashioned  houses. 

Our  landlady  came  out  and  looked  uneasily  up 
and  down. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know  what  to  make  of  this," 
said  she.  "  Ordinarily  Royal  Street  is  gay  in  the 
evening.  To-night  it  is  still  as  a  cemetery.  I 
know  something  is  going  to  happen.  A  neighbor 
of  mine  on  Chartres  Street,  just  back  of  us,  says 
that  hundreds  of  men  have  been  going  down  there 
for  the  last  hour, — going  down  towards  Jackson 
Square, — and  they  had  guns,  most  all  of  them." 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  149 

It  was  just  then  that  somewhere  near  us  a  clock 
began  striking  nine. 

Hardly  had  the  last  stroke  died,  quivering  away 
through  the  still  night  air,  when  from  the  di- 
rection of  the  great  cathedral,  opposite  the  very 
square  she  named,  there  came  a  sudden  and 
startling  uproar,  a  rattling  volley  of  small-arms, 
a  chorus  of  yells  that  made  the  welkin  ring ;  then 
a  pandemonium  of  shots,  shouts,  and  yells  all 
together.  Instantly,  people  below  could  he  seen 
rushing  to  close  their  shutters;  the  chattering 
darkies  disappeared  around  the  corner,  and  we 
had  sprung  to  our  feet  and  were  listening  ex- 
citedly to  the  clamor,  which  increased  with  every 
moment.  Pauline  quickly  stepped  in-doors ;  her 
first  thought  was  for  her  lover,  and  she  had  gone 
to  his  door.  Kitty,  very  pale,  was  grasping  the 
balcony  rail  and  looking  appealingly  up  in  Har- 
rod's  face.  He  and  I  gazed  questioningly  at  each 
other.  Full  a  minute  we  stood  there  before  any 
one  spoke.  Then  Harrod  pointed  up  Royal 
Street. 

"  Look  !     What  is  this  ?" 

Leaning  over  the  balcony  I  gazed  eagerly  up 
towards  the  white  colonnade  of  the  St.  Charles, 
glistening  and  brilliant  in  the  moonlight.  Coming 
towards  us  in  perfect  silence  at  rapid,  shuffling 
step,  with  the  moonbeams  glancing  from  their 
eloping  arms  and  glistening  bayonets,  was  a 
column  of  soldiers.  Another  moment  and  they 
13* 


150  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

were  directly  under  us,  and  with  them,  drawn 
by  horses,  was  a  large  field-piece.  I  recognized 
the  uniforms  at  a  glance :  they  were  the  police. 
Rapidly,  almost  at  double-quick,  they  filed  under 
the  balcony  and  marched  on  down  the  street. 
"We  followed  them  with  our  eyes  until  they 
turned  to  the  right,  some  squares  farther  east, 
and  waited  further  developments.  The  noise  of 
the  firing,  the  shouts  and  yells  had  partially  died 
away,  but  not  entirely.  Suddenly  there  came  a 
renewal  of  the  clangor;  the  rattling  fusilade  was 
resumed,  then  came  a  volley  or  two,  delivered 
as  though  by  word  of  command ;  then  a  deafen- 
ing roar  that  shook  the  windows. 

"By  Jove,  Brandon,  I  can't  stand  this,"  said 
Colonel  Summers.  "  I  mast  go  and  see  what  it 
means."  Then  came  another  tremendous  bang. 
"  That's  a  twelve-pounder  !" 

But  Kitty  and  the  landlady  implored  him  not 
to  go,  and  as  a  final  compromise  the  latter  agreed 
to  guide  him  through  her  premises  to  her  neigh- 
bor's house  on  Chartres  Street,  where  he  could 
find  out  all  that  was  going  on  without  being  ex- 
posed to  the  danger  of  the  street ;  and  in  a  few 
moments  more  we  were  both,  he  and  I,  standing 
on  a  balcony  that  overhung  the  latter  street, 
Royal  Street  had  been  wellnigh  deserted.  Char 
tres  Street  was  a  scene  of  excitement  and  con  • 
fusion.  Far  down  to  the  left  we  could  see  the 
flash  of  small-arms  and  hear  the  shouts  of  th* 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

excited  men.  Directly  under  us,  numbers  of 
citizens  were  running,  some  towards  Jackson 
Square,  where  the  fighting  was  going  on,  others 
towards  Canal  Street,  as  though  eager  to  get  out 
of  the  way.  A  man  living  in  the  house  had  just 
come  in,  pale  and  panting,  and  to  our  quick  in- 
quiries he  replied  that  at  nine  o'clock  a  great 
crowd  of  citizens  had  suddenly  assaulted  the 
police  station  opposite  Jackson  Square;  had 
whipped  out  the  police  and  completely  gutted 
the  building;  that  they  had  things  all  their  own 
way  until  General  Badger  suddenly  appeared 
with  a  big  gun  and  a  lot  of  reinforcements,  and 
now  there  was  going  to  be  a  tremendous  fight. 
Crowds  of  citizens  were  coming  from  every  direc- 
tion and  hemming  in  the  police,  and  no  more 
reinforcements  could  reach  them,  said  our  in- 
formant. 

Even  as  he  spoke,  we  saw  a  large  body  of  men 
in  civilian  garb,  but  many  or  most  of  them  armed 
with  shot-guns  and  rifles,  coming  up  Chartres 
Street  from  the  Square.  Halting  at  the  corner 
below  us,  some  twenty  or  thirty  of  them  were 
told  off  and  left  there;  the  others  went  on. 
Their  leaders  spoke  in  low  tones  to  the  people 
they  met  in  the  street,  and  the  latter  turned 
back  as  though  in  implicit  obedience.  In  five 
minutes,  except  the  silent  groups  of  armed  men 
at  the  corner,  Chartres  Street  was  as  deserted  as 
at  dawn  of  day.  The  firing  and  noise  had  ceased. 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

"  There  are  crowds  going  down  Custom-House 
Street  and  the  levee,"  said  our  still  panting  friend. 
"  These  parties  are  being  thrown  out  in  every 
direction  to  prevent  more  of  the  police  from 
getting  in  to  help  Badger ;  then  in  course  of  an 
hour  we'll  have  five  thousand  citizens  down 
there  around  the  Square,  and  if  the  United 
States  troops  don't  interfere  it  will  be  all  up 
with  the  police." 

In  eager  interest  Harrod  and  I  waited.  Below 
us  the  party  at  the  corner  had  posted  two  senti- 
nels, who  were  pacing  across  the  street  in  most 
approved  soldierly  fashion.  Every  now  and  then 
a  distant  cheer  was  heard  over  towards  the  levee, 
— fresh  bodies  of  citizens  were  coming  in  or 
somebody  was  making  a  speech  perhaps.  Har- 
rod went  back  to  the  house  to  reassure  Pauline, 
but  speedily  returned.  Yinton  was  still  sleeping 
quietly,  and  the  doctor  was  there  with  the  ladies. 
He  said  it  was  understood  on  the  street  that  at 
ten  o'clock  the  citizens  were  going  to  resume 
the  attack  and  with  every  prospect  of  success. 
Already  they  had  an  overwhelming  force. 

I  looked  at  my  watch.  It  was  just  ten  minutes 
of  ten.  Over  on  the  levee  the  hoarse  shouts  of 
the  crowd  could  be  heard  at  more  frequent  in- 
tervals. Far  up  the  street,  towards  Canal,  I 
could  see  a  dense  black  mass  blocking  the  en- 
trance, evidently  a  crowd  of  people  drawn  thither 
by  curiosity,  but  restrained  by  a  sense  of  danger 


KITTrS  CONQUEST.  153 

from  coming  farther  towards  the  scene  of  action. 
The  sentries  still  paced  the  streets  at  the  corners 
ahove  and  below  us.  Two  squares  farther  down 
towards  the  cathedral  we  could  see  the  other  sen- 
tries pacing  to  and  fro.  "  Those  are  the  police 
pickets,"  said  our  previous  informant;  "just 
wait  five  minutes  and  you'll  see  them  skip." 

Again  I  nervously  looked  at  my  watch.  I 
was  trembling  with  suppressed  excitement.  The 
police  station  was  only  four  squares  away  to  our 
left.  I  thought  I  could  see  the  moonbeams 
gleaming  on  the  big  gun  that  our  friend  and 
fellow-citizen  said  the  police  had  run  out  in  the 
middle  of  the  street  and  pointed  towards  the 
levee. 

Suddenly  there  came  a  racket  towards  Canal 
Street.  We  all  leaned  over  the  balcony  and 
gazed  eagerly  in  that  direction.  A  single  black 
shadow  came  swiftly  down  the  middle  of  the 
street.  "We  heard  the  loud  clatter  of  iron-shod 
hoofs  on  the  stone-block  pavement.  A  horseman 
riding  at  full  gallop  came  flashing  through  the 
moonlight.  "  Who  comes  there  ?"  shouted  the 
sentries  above  us.  "Don't  stop  him!"  yelled 
some  authoritative  voice  as  the  horseman,  never 
heeding  either  challenge  or  rebuke,  thundered 
along  almost  at  racing  speed.  As  he  sped  under 
the  balcony  I  did  not  need  to  see  the  glittering 
aiguillettes  and  shoulder-knots,  or  hear  the  clank 
of  the  cavalry  sabre,  to  recognize  tte  youngest 


154  KITTF'S  CONQUEST. 

of  the  general's  aides-de-camp.  Again  he  was 
challenged  at  the  lower  corner,  and  some  excit- 
able party  in  the  crowd  fired  a  gun.  My  nerves 
jumped  in  quick  response,  but  on  went  the 
officer.  Then  we  heard  shouts  farther  down  and 
two  more  shots,  this  time  from  the  police,  and 
then  Harrod  grabbed  my  arm. 

"  Come  on ;  let's  go  and  see  it.  I  can't  stand 
this."  And  leading  the  way  he  plunged  down 
the  stairs,  I  following. 

"You  can't  get  through  there,  gentlemen," 
said  the  leader  of  the  party  below  us ;  "  the  police 
hold  the  street  below."  So  we  headed  for  the 
levee,  two  squares  away ;  found  a  surging  crowd 
there,  but,  half  running,  half  walking,  we  pushed 
ahead,  speedily  finding  ourselves  at  the  outskirts 
of  a  great  throng  of  men  spreading  out  over  the 
broad  levee  towards  Jackson  Square.  Under 
the  gas-lamp  at  the  corner,  now  surrounded  by 
a  dense  throng,  we  could  see  the  aide-de-camp, 
seated  on  his  panting  horse  and  in  animated  con- 
versation with  some  of  the  citizens  nearest  him. 
I  had  met  the  young  officer  and  knew  him 
slightly,  and  was  eager  to  hear  what  he  might 
say,  but  it  was  impossible  to  get  nearer.  In  a 
moment,  however,  he  turned  away  and  rode  back 
towards  the  police  station.  A  tall,  gray-headed 
gentleman,  of  soldierly  bearing  and  address, 
stepped  upon  a  box  or  barrel  and  spoke  briefly 
to  the  crowd, — 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  155 

"  Gentlemen, — General  Emory  sends  word  that 
in  compliance  with  his  orders  the  United  States 
troops  are  now  marching  to  the  defence  of  the 
police.  There  is  nothing  further  for  us  to  do. 
You  will  therefore  disperse." 

And  without  a  word,  in  perfect  quiet  and  order, 
the  crowd  began  to  break  up  and  move  off  up 
and  down  the  levee.  Curious  as  usual  to  see  all 
there  was  to  be  seen.  I  suggested  to  Harrod  that 
we  should  go  to  the  station.  He  assented,  and 
we  elbowed  our  way  through  the  crowd ;  reached 
the  street  that  runs  along  the  upper  side  of  the 
Square  from  the  levee  to  Chartres  Street ;  found 
it  utterly  deserted,  and  so,  rapidly  pushed  ahead. 
Presently  we  drew  near  enough  to  see  that  the 
head  of  the  street  wa's  occupied  by  the  cannon 
and  its  detachment,  and  a  company  of  police. 
The  next  instant,  half  a  dozen  bayonets  came 
flashing  down  upon  us.  "We  were  surrounded 
by  a  squad  of  men  under  command  of  a  darky 
sergeant,  and  with  loud  summons  to  surrender, 

O  *  ' 

and  much  excited  adjuration  not  to  resist  if  we 
didn't  want  want  our  heads  blown  off,  Colonel 
Summers  and  myself  were  roughly  seized  and 
hustled  towards  the  station. 

"  Here's  two  of  the  d — d  scoundrels  anyway," 
was  our  introduction  to  the  men  in  the  ranks  as 
we  were  hurried  along,  and  my  very  vehement 
protestations  were  lost  amid  the  chorus  of  jeers 
with  which  we  were  greeted.  Already  we  were 


[56  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

within  a  few  yards  of  the  station-house  door, 
when  I  caught  sight  of  the  aide-de-camp  talking 
with  the  chief  of  police.  I  shouted  his  name, 
despite  the  savage  order  from  my  captors  to  shut 
my  mouth  if  I  didn't  want  to  be  killed,  and  in- 
stantly he  recognized  me,  sprang  forward,  and 
ordered  the  police  to  stand  hack,  which  they 
sulkily  did.  I  breathlessly  introduced  Colonel 
Summers,  and  he  too  was  freed  from  the  rude 
grasp  of  the  two  stalwart  "  peelers"  who  held 
him.  Then  the  chief  came  up.  Explanations 
followed,  and  despite  my  indignation  we  had  a 
general  laugh. 

"  My  men  are  somewhat  nervous  to-night," 
said  he,  apologetically.  "  Even  the  full  uniform 
of  the  captain  here  did  not  protect  him,  you  see ; 
the  pickets  up  the  street  fired  at  him  as  he  came 
to  the  rescue,  but  I  will  send  a  sergeant  with  you 
to  see  you  safely  through  the  lines."  So  after 
taking  a  look  at  the  demolished  station-house, 
we  were  courteously  escorted  up  Chartres  Street, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  we  were  laughingly  telling 
our  adventures  to  the  ladies  on  our  gallery. 

Even  as  Harrod  was  in  the  midst  of  the  recital, 
there  was  heard  the  rapid  tramp  of  many  hoofa 
up  the  street,  and  a  troop  of  cavalry  came  sweep- 
ing down  at  rapid  trot.  Well  out  to  the  front, 
followed  by  his  trumpeter,  rode  a  tall,  slender 
young  officer,  whose  form  was  now  familiar  to 
us  all.  He  glanced  up  at  our  balcony  as  he  passed 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  157 

beneath  us,  the  moonlight  shining  full  in  hia 
brave  young  face.  Pauline  waved  her  handker- 
chief; a  gauntleted  hand  returned  the  salute; 
and  with  Kitty's  eyes  furtively  following  him 
Frank  Amory  swept  by. 


CHAPTER   XL 

LATER  in  the  night,  after  the  ladies  had  re- 
tired, Harrod  and  I  once  more  walked  down  to 
the  square  to  see  how  things  were  going  on. 
All  was  very  quiet.  A  battalion  of  regular  in- 
fantry had  stacked  its  arms  in  the  middle  of  the 
street  in  front  of  the  dismantled  station-house; 
the  men  were  seated  along  the  curbstone ;  some 
in  their  weariness  were  lying  asleep  upon  the 
stone  pavement ;  the  olficers,  grouped  under  the 
archways  of  the  old  police  court  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street,  were  puffing  their  cigarettes 
and  sleepily  discussing  the  situation.  Major 
"Williams  and  his  command  were  not  there ;  the 
battalion  on  duty  was  one  which  had  been  for 
some  time  past  stationed  at  Jackson  Barracks 
below  the  city.  A  little  farther  down  we  came 
upon  Amory  and  his  troop  making  a  night  of  it 
in  front  of  the  Cathedral.  The  horses  were  still 
saddled,  though  with  loosened  girths,  but  had 
been  unbitted,  and  were  busily  munching  at  the 
hay  spread  before  them  on  the  pavement.  Mars 
himself  was  seated  on  the  curbstone  with  a  grain- 
sack  in  his  lap,  petting  his  horse's  head  as  that 
quadruped  blissfully  devoured  the  oats  with 

158 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  159 

which  his  thoughtful  master  had  heaped  the 
sack.  Harrod  hailed  him  gleefully. 

"That  takes  a  fellow  back  to  old  times,  lad, 
only  oats  were  scarcer  than  horses." 

Mars  held  out  his  unoccupied  hand,  looking 
up  with  rather  a  tired  smile  on  his  face. 

"  How's  Vinton  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Very  much  better,  we  think,"  said  Harrod, 
"  though  he  is  very  weak,  and  has  had  an  ugly 
siege.  I  think  he  will  be  housed  some  time 
yet." 

"  Did  you  see — did  you  happen  to  hear  of  any 
letter  for  me  at  Sandbrook  before  you  came 
away  ?  I  told  them  to  forward  everything,  but 
nothing  has  come." 

"  No,"  replied  Harrod.  "  Had  there  been 
anything  I  think  they  would  have  told  us, 
though  it  may  be  that  letters  were  simply  re- 
directed and  dropped  in  the  Corinth  mail." 

There  was  so  much  anxiety  in  Amory's  face 
that  it  suddenly  occurred  to  me  to  ask,  "  Your 
mother  is  not  ill,  I  hope  ?  You  have  heard  from 
her?" 

"  Mother  is  quite  well,  thanks.  I  had  tele- 
graphed her  of  our  move,  and  a  letter  reached 
me  yesterday.  This  was — I  rather  expected  an- 
other letter."  And  even  in  the  pale  moonlight 
it  was  plain  that  Mr.  Amory  was  blushing  vividly. 
Instantly  I  was  reminded  of  the  letter  he  had 
received  at  camp,  and  received  with  such  evident 


160  KiTTrs  coxquEST. 

excitement.  "Was  it  from  that  source  lie  now 
looked  for  another  ?  If  so,  what  did  it  mean  ? 
Mars  was  getting  to  be  a  mystery. 

"  When  are  you  coming  to  see  us  ?"  asked  the 
colonel. 

"  I  don't  know.  I'd  like  to  come  at  once,  but 
you  see  how  I'm  fixed, — the  only  officer  with  the 
troop." 

"  Well,  if  all  should  be  quiet  to-morrow,  come 
and  dine  with  us  at  Moreau's  at  six,  will  you  ?" 
persisted  Harrod.  "  There  will  be  no  one  but 
ourselves  and  the  ladies,  you  know ;  and  if  you 
are  pressed  for  time  just  meet  us  there.  We'll 
expect  you." 

"  I  would  be  delighted  to,"  answered  the  young 
fellow,  though  in  a  strangely  embarrassed  and 
hesitating  way,  "but  I  really  cannot  promise. 
You  see  how  it  is,  don't  you?"  he  continued, 
looking  almost  appealingly  at  me ;  but  I  chose 
not  to  "  see  how  it  was,"  and  only  insisted  on 
seconding  Harrod's  invitation.  All  the  old  Adam 
in  me  was  wild  with  curiosity  to  see  him  with 
Kitty  once  more,  and  his  reluctance  or  hesitancy 
was  something  that  only  served  to  make  me 
more  persistent.  Have  you  never  noticed  that 
amiable  trait  in  many  a  man  or  woman  who, 
having  passed  the  meridian  of  life  him-  or  her- 
self, seems  bent  on  directing  in  the  most  trivial 
matters  the  plans  and  movements  of  younger 
persons?  It  was  no  earthly  business  of  mine. 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

and  yet  I  was  determined  to  have  Mars  come 
and  see  Kitty  whether  he  wanted  to  or  not 
Harrod,  of  course,  was  actua  ed  by  no  such 
motives. 

Early  on  the  following  day,  on  going  to  my 
office,  the  few  letters  deposited  on  the  desk  were 
naturally  the  first  things  to  he  disposed  of.  Al- 
most wearily  I  glanced  at  the  superscriptions, 
for  nobody  in  New  Orleans  felt  particularly 
business-like  that  morning.  Some  were  from 
correspondents  up  the  railway;  others  from 
"  down  the  coast."  I  simply  glanced  at  their 
envelopes,  and  had  just  about  completed  the 
list,  when  suddenly  hand  and  eye  rested  upon 
a  dainty  little  missive,  an  envelope  of  creamy 
white,  and  addressed  to  me — to  me  in  the  very 
handwriting  that  had  so  attracted  my  attention 
and  curiosity  in  Amory's  tent  at  Sandbrook. 
Here  was  the  same  exquisite  chirography.  I 
knew  I  had  seen  it  before.  I  knew  now  why  it 
seemed  so  familiar  then.  For  six  years  or  there- 
abouts it  had  not  fallen  under  my  gaze;  and 
when  it  did,  six  years  before,  it  was  only  that  a 
proud  papa  might  exhibit  to  me  the  beautiful 
writing  of  his  daughter,  then  in  her  last  year  at 
school  in  New  York  City,  the  youngest  child  of 
a  sister  long  since  dead.  It  was  the  handwriting 
of  my  pretty  niece,  Bella  Grayson, — Bella,  whom 
I  had  not  seen  since  her  girlhood,  and  all  at 
once  it  flashed  across  my  perturbed  brain  that 
I  14* 


162  KITTY1  S  CONQUEST. 

Frank  Amory's  mysterious  correspondent  was 
this  self-same  Bella.  Here  was  a  revelation  in- 
deed! 

For  some  minutes  I  was  too  much  confounded 
to  open  the  letter.  Then  I  proceeded  to  read  it. 
A  very  bright,  graceful,  well-expressed  note  it 
proved  to  be.  Uncle  George  was  appropriately 
reminded  that  it  was  more  than  two  years  since 
he  had  written  to  papa.  Papa  did  not  propose 
to  write  again  until  his  letters  were  answered ; 
but,  feeling  a  trifle  uneasy  while  reading  the  ac- 
counts of  the  stormy  times  in  New  Orleans,  and 
having  seen  occasional  mention  of  Uncle  George 
in  connection  with  Ku-Klux  excitements,  she  had 
been  commissioned  to  make  inquiries  as  to  Uncle 
George's  health  and  fortunes,  to  express  the 
hope  that  Uncle  George  would  no  longer  neglect 
them  as  he  had,  and  to  subscribe  herself  very 
affectionately,  Uncle  George's  niece,  Bella. 

So  far  so  good.  Uncle  George  had  very  vivid 
recollections  of  Miss  Bella  in  her  graduating 
years,  and  had  been  vastly  impressed  by  the 
vivacity,  wit,  and  sparkle  of  the  bright  little  lady 
who  made  his  last  visit  to  her  father's  home  so 
pleasant  a  thing  to  look  back  upon.  From  that 
time  to  this  he  had  never  seen  her,  but  never  had 
she  been  entirely  dropped  from  his  remembrance 
For  four  years  or  so  he  had  occasionally  occupied 
himself  in  the  metaphorical  selection  of  an  ap- 
propriate wedding-present,  as  home  letters  gave 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  163 

indications  that  Miss  Bella  was  contemplating 
matrimony;  but  it  never  seemed  to  pass  the 
point  of  contemplation.  Twice  at  least,  on 
authoritative  announcements,  Miss  Bella  had 
been  "  engaged."  A  dozen  times  at  least,  if  re- 
ports were  to  be  relied  upon,  Miss  Bella  was  on 
the  verge  of  that  social  entanglement.  It  wap 
in  the  winter  of  '65  that  she  had  first  begun  to 
exercise  that  involuntary  gift  of  fascination  over 
Uncle  George  which  seemed  to  involve  him,  as 
it  did  all  masculines  who  came  within  the  sphere 
of  her  movements.  I  say  involuntary,  because 
then  and  ever  afterwards,  Miss  Bella  was  wont 
to  protest  that  she  was  no  more  conscious  of  any 
effort  or  desire  to  attract  than  she  was  of  breath- 
ing when  asleep.  She  had  spent  some  months 
of  the  preceding  summer  and  autumn  at  West 
Point.  She  was  petite,  graceful,  not  absolutely 
a  beauty,  yet  there  was  something  about  those 
large,  clear,  heavily-lashed  gray  eyes  of  hers  that 
had  all  the  effect  and  power  of  beauty ;  and  even 
when  only  eighteen,  as  she  was  then,  Miss  Bella 
had  learned  their  influence,  and,  involuntarily  of 
course,  how  to  use  them.  I  had  not  been  a  wit- 
ness of  the  campaign  itself,  but  I  could  not  live 
in  their  cosey  home  in  the  city  for  a  week  without 
becoming  measurably  aware  of  its  results.  The 
postman's  visits  to  the  Grayson  residence  were  as 
regular  as  his  rounds,  and  it  often  happened  that 
letters  deposited  on  the  hall-table  were  left  there 


164  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

some  hours,  awaiting  Miss  Bella's  return  from 
calls  or  drives  or  strolls  with  her  society  friends 
of  both  sexes,  and  that  I,  in  search  of  my  own 
mail,  should  look  over  the  pile  on  the  marble 
slab.  There  was  always  one  postmarked  West 
Point;  there  was  sometimes  more;  and  there 
were  no  less  than  three  separate  and  distinct 
handwritings  thus  making  frequent  calls  at  our 
house.  In  my  avuncular  capacity  I  had  ventured 
to  say  something  intended  to  be  arch  with  regard 
to  those  letters.  It  was  at  the  breakfast-table. 
Miss  Bella  was  pouring  coffee,  and  doing  it  with 
a  deft  and  graceful  turn  of  the  wrist  that  showed 
her  slender  white  hand  to  vast  advantage.  For 
all  answer  she  had  given  me  one  of  those  search- 
ing glances  from  under  the  deep  lids ;  looked  me 
squarely  in  the  face,  though  a  merry  smile  was 
hovering  about  the  corners  of  her  rosy  mouth ; 
and,  neither  admitting  nor  denying  the  corre- 
epondence,  had  disarmed  me  by  a  prompt  inquiry 
as  to  whether  I  really  thought  it  improper  for  her 
to  hear  from  her  cadet  friends. 

No  one  could  ever  call  it  a  correspondence,  for 
no  one  ever  saw  Miss  Bella  writing,  or  heard  of 
her  mailing  letters  to  West  Point  or  anywhere 
else.  Between  her  and  her  devoted  papa  the 
closest  sympathy  and  alliance  existed.  He  seemed 
to  take  a  jovial  delight  in  Bella's  fascinations. 
She  ruled  him  with  a  winning  and  imperious 
eway  that  was  delicious  to  see,  and  Uncle  George 


KITTFS  CONQUEST.  165 

speedily  fell  into  the  same  groove,  with  this 
difference  :  she  may  have  told  her  father  who 
her  correspondents  were ;  she  never  did  tell 
Uncle  George.  "What  was  more,  Uncle  George 
never  could  find  out.  Despite  several  efforts  to 
win  the  young  lady's  confidence  in  his  somewhat 
bulky  and  blundering  way,  Uncle  George  had 
had  to  give  it  up.  She  was  impenetrable  as  a 
sphinx. 

And  now,  six  years  afterwards,  here  she  reap- 
peared in  his  life;  and,  if  Uncle  George  was 
not  very  much  mistaken,  Miss  Bella  was  the 
correspondent  whose  letter  had  caused  Frank 
Amory  so  much  excitement  and  emotion  that 
last  day  in  camp  at  Sandbrook.  It  was  her  letter 
he  was  so  eagerly  awaiting  now.  And  all  this 
time 

"Well.  To  the  neglect  of  other  letters  I  sat  at 
the  desk  pondering  over  this  maidenly  missive  ; 
then  with  an  effort  refolded  and  was  about  to 
close  it,  when  my  eyes  were  attracted  by  some 
lines  on  the  outer  page.  Who  was  it  who  first 
said  that  the  gist  of  a  woman's  letter  would  al- 
ways be  found  in  the  postscript  ?  There,  on  page 
four  of  the  tiny  note-sheet,  were  the  words  : 

"  P.  S. — So  you  have  met  Mr.  Amory  of  the 
cavalry,  and  you  had  quite  an  exciting  adventure, 
too.  Should  you  see  him  again  pray  remember 
me  to  him,  though  it  is  quite  possible  he  has 


166  KITTFS  CONqUEST. 

forgotten  me.    We  were  good  friends  during  his 
*  first  class  camp.' " 

Oh,  Bella  Grayson  !  "  Pray  remember  me  to 
him,"  indeed !  "  Quite  possible  he  has  forgotten 
me."  Upon  my  word,  young  lady,  this  is  too 
much  even  for  a  long-suffering  uncle.  Asking 
me  to  remember  her  to  a  young  fellow  with 
whom  she  was  actually  in  correspondence  at  the 
time !  For  a  moment  I  was  fairly  indignant ;  but 
something  of  the  witchery  of  Bella's  own  caress- 
ing voice  and  manner  seemed  to  steal  from  the 
folds  of  the  tiny  note.  A  dozen  things  that  had 
been  told  me  of  her  from  time  to  time  came 
floating  back  to  my  brain,  and — I  couldn't  help 
it — I  began  to  laugh. 

Once,  just  before  his  coming  South,  Miss  Bella 
had  appeared  before  Uncle  George  in  a  state  of 
indignation.  A  young  man  whom  he  rather 
liked  had  been  one  of  her  devotees  for  a  month 
or  more,  and  then  suddenly  ceased  his  attentions. 
Bella's  eyes  flashed  as  she  half  reluctantly  re- 
lated to  Uncle  George  (in  response  to  his  urgent 
request)  the  circumstances  which  led  to  the  sud- 
den break.  "  He  dared  to  say  to  me  that,  if  no 
more  attractive  subject  happened  to  be  available, 
it  was  his  belief  I  would  flirt  with  a  chimney- 
sweep !"  and  then,  when  Uncle  George  burst 
into  a  fit  of  uncontrollable  merriment,  Miss 
Bella  had  first  flushed  with  indignation,  then 


UTTY'S  CONQUEST.  167 

her  irresistible  sense  of  the  humorous  began  to 
get  the  better  of  her  resolution  to  be  deeply 
offended,  and  presently  she  laughed  too;  laughed 
till  the  tears  ran  down  her  cheeks ;  laughed  as 
only  Bella  could  laugh,  the  most  musical,  ring- 
ing, delightful  laugh  ever  heard ;  and  then,  sud- 
denly recollecting  herself,  she  had  pronounced 
Uncle  George  an  unfeeling  wretch,  and  flounced 
out  of  the  room  in  high  dudgeon. 

Now,  it  is  contrary  to  all  principles  of  story- 
telling to  introduce  an  utterly  new  character 
towards  the  fag  end  of  a  narrative,  but  Mr. 
Brandon  makes  no  pretensions  to  being  a  story- 
teller. He  can  pnly  relate  things  as  they  hap- 
pened ;  and  never,  until  this  stage  of  the  game, 
had  his  fair  niece  Bella  appeared  as  a  factor  in 
the  plot  so  far  as  his  knowledge  went.  Never- 
theless, it  was  vividly  apparent  to  Mr.  Brandon 
that  now  at  least  she  was  destined  to  become  a 
leading  lady,  a  power  behind  the  throne,  whether 
she  appeared  in  person  upon  the  boards  or  not. 
He  recalled  the  frequent  allusions  to  her  in  the 
letters  that  used  to  reach  him  from  the  North  in 
the  days  when  he  found  time  to  keep  up  corre- 
spondence with  the  scattered  family.  There  was 
a  tone  of  almost  tragic  despair  in  the  letters  of 
one  of  her  aunts  whenever  Bella  was  the  subject 
under  discussion.  Wherever  she  went — and  she 
went  pretty  much  everywhere — Miss  Grayson 
was  the  centre  of  a  knot  of  admirers.  Her  sum- 


168  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

mere  were  spent  at  West  Point  or  on  "the 
Sound ;"  her  winters  in  New  York  or  Syracuse ; 
and  the  oddest  thing  about  it  all  was  that,  de- 
spite her  great  attractiveness  among  the  beaus 
of  society,  she  retained  an  absolute  dominion 
over  the  hearts  of  a  little  coterie  of  schoolmates, 
— a  sextette  of  as  bright  and  intelligent  and  at- 
tractive girls  as  Uncle  George  had  ever  seen; 
two  of  them  undoubted  beauties;  all  of  them 
gracious  and  winning;  yet,  as  though  by  com- 
mon and  tacit  understanding,  when  Bella  ap- 
peared in  their  midst,  and  the  men  concentrated 
their  attentions  upon  her,  the  others  contentedly, 
even  approvingly,  so  it  seemed,  fell  into  the  back- 
ground. They  had  their  own  personal  worship- 
pers, to  be  sure,  but  they  were  paraded  for  Bella's 
inspection  and  approval  before  being  decided 
upon.  Two  of  the  sisterhood  married  within  a 
few  years  of  their  graduation  after  receiving 
Bella's  sanction.  It  had  even  been  alleged  that, 
involuntarily  as  usual,  Bella  had  diverted  the 
growing  admiration  of  one  youth  from  a  sister 
to  herself ;  but  the  unruffled  sweetness  of  the 
sisterly  relations  seemed  to  give  the  lie  to  that 
statement. 

But  Bella's  fascinations  were  not  so  placidly 
accepted  with  the  opposite  sex.  It  had  been  a 
pet  theory  of  hers  that  cadets  and  officers  were 
fair  game  for  flirtation  a  I'oulrance.  She  had 
become  involved  in  her  very  first  visit  to  the 


KITTY1  S   CONQUEST. 

Academy  in  two  very  serious  affairs ;  retaining 
complete  mastery  over  her  own  susceptibilities, 
while  obtaining  mastery  as  complete  over  those 
of  two  cadet  admirers  who  chanced  to  be  rather 
close  friends.  One  of  them,  at  least,  had  been 
desperately  in  earnest  at  the  outset;  both  of  them 
were  before  they  got  through;  and  Bella  was, 
or  professed  to  be,  totally  incapable  of  believing 
that  they  had  intended  more  than  a  mere  flirta- 
tion. To  her  credit  be  it  said,  she  was  griev- 
ously distressed  when  the  actual  truth  came  to 
light;  but  her  theories  were  in  nowise  shaken, 
for  with  the  following  year  a  still  more  desperate 
victim  was  at  her  feet,  while  the  singed  moths 
of  the  previous  season  looked  gloomily  and  sar- 
donically on  the  throes  which  they  had  so  re- 
cently suffered.  It  was  an  attribute  of  Bella's 
as  marvellous  as  the  ascendency  she  maintained 
over  her  sisterhood,  that  even  in  jilting  an  ad- 
mirer she  had  so  sweet,  sympathetic,  caressing, 
and  self-reproachful  a  manner  as  to  make  the 
poor  devil  feel  that  the  whole  thing  was  his  own 
fault,  or  that  of  his  blindness ;  and  to  send  him 
on  his  way  comforted,  perhaps  enslaved.  She 
never  could  succeed  in  absolutely  and  definitely 
disposing  of  a  lover.  New  ones  might  come, 
and  did  come,  every  season  of  the  year.  She 
had  them  wherever  she  moved ;  but  Bella  could 
no  more  let  one  go  than  a  cat  could  a  captured 
mouse, — another  statement  at  her  expense  that 

H  15 


170  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

first  excited  her  wrath  and  afterwards  nearly 
convulsed  her  by  its  humorous  accuracy.  She 
would  turn  her  back  on  him ;  lose  sight  of  him 
to  all  appearances;  but  let  him  but  display  a 
desire  for  freedom ;  let  him  but  make  an  eifort 
to  get  away  from  the  toils ;  and  under  the  patte 
de  velours  was  an  inflexible  grasp  that  once  more 
stretched  the  victim  panting  at  her  feet. 

And  yet  she  was  so  winning,  so  plaintive,  so 
appealing  with  it  all !  Volumes  of  pity  and  trust 
and  sympathy  beamed  from  Bella's  clear  gray 
eyes.  Volumes  of  half-playful  reproach  and  con- 
dolence in  the  letters  she  would  write.  "  Even 
in  bidding  you  go  she  implores  you  to  stay,"  was 
once  said  of  her  by  an  exasperated  yet  enthralled 
victim,  and  Uncle  George  was  quite  ready  to 
believe  it. 

And  Bella  was  still  unmarried ;  still  careering 
over  the  old  preserves ;  still  maintaining,  appa- 
rently, her  old  theory  that  "  men  are  deceivers 
ever ;"  and  still,  to  judge  from  recent  develop- 
ments, bringing  down  fresh  victims  among  the 
too  inflammable  youngsters  of  the  battalion  of 
cadets.  Now,  was  Frank  Amory  a  victim  in 
good  earnest,  or  only  a  narrow  escape  from  being 
one ?  She  wrote  to  him,  but  that  proved  nothing; 
she  wrote  to  a  dozen,  and  all  at  the  same  time. 
Aunt  Ethel  declared  of  her  that  she  was  writing 
to  two  classmates  an  entire  winter,  receiving  al- 
most daily  missives  from  both,  and  responding 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  J71 

when  she  felt  disposed ;  and  that  not  until  they 
came  to  be  stationed  at  the  same  post ;  to  occupy 
the  same  quarters;  to  make  the  simultaneous 
discovery  that  each  had  parted  with  his  class 
ring;  and,  one  never-to-be-forgotten  day,  that 
each  was  receiving  letters  from  the  same  damsel; 
had  either  of  the  young  fellows  the  faintest  idea 
that  he  was  not  the  sole  possessor  of  such  atten- 
tions. It  was  alleged  of  Bella  that  she  could 
have  worn  a  class  ring  on  every  finger  if  she 
chose ;  but  whatever  may  have  been  her  object 
in  accepting  them,  it  was  not  for  purposes  of 
self-glorification.  Her  most  intimate  friend  never 
knew  whose  rings  she  had;  never  knew  how 
many;  and  Bella's  flirtations,  whatever  may  have 
been  the  wide-spread  destruction  she  effected, 
were  subjects  that  never  could  be  spoken  of  in 
her  presence.  A  dozen  men  were  believed  to 
confide  in  her,  and  she  held  their  confidence  in- 
violable. No  one  of  them  ever  extracted  from 
her  the  faintest  admission  that  she  ever  received 
a  line  or  an  attention  from  any  one  else. 

Now,  what  in  the  world  was  I  to  do  ?  Here 
was  a  complication  that  baffled  me  completely. 
If  Mars  were  really  smitten  with  my  fascinating 
niece,  how  far  had  it  gone  ?  That  he  had  been 
I  could  readily  believe ;  but,  whether  she  looked 
it  or  not,  Bella  must  now  be  older  than  he,  and 
probably  had  only  been — involuntarily,  as  usual 
— amusing  herself  with  his  devotions.  And  now 


172  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

he  was  interested  in  Kitty, — of  that  I  felt  cer- 
tain,— and,  by  Jove !  I  had  it.  He  felt  himself 
still  bound  by  the  old  ties ;  still  fettered  by  some 
real  or  imaginary  allegiance  to  his  West  Point 
affinity;  still — "Why,  the  whole  thing  was  plain 
as  A,  B,  C,"  thought  I,  in  my  masculine  pro- 
fundity. "Bella  would  not  accept,  could  not 
discard  him,  and  here  she  has  kept  him  dangling 
at  her  beck  and  call  ever  since."  I  decided  to 
write  to  Bella, — oh,  the  bewildering  idiocy  of 
some  men  ! — and  I  wrote  forthwith. 

That  evening  a  letter  winding  up  as  follows 
was  on  its  way  northward : 

"  Yes,  I  have  met  your  friend,  young  Amory ; 
have  seen  a  good  deal  of  him,  in  fact,  and  am 
greatly  interested  in  him.  He  strikes  me  as  a 
gallant  young  soldier  and  gentleman,  and  his 
evident  admiration  for  a  fair  young  friend  of 
mine — an  heiress,  by  the  way — commands  my 
entire  sympathy.  I've  half  a  mind  to  take  you 
into  my  confidence,  Bella,  for  perhaps  you  can 
dispel  my  perplexity.  I  think — mind  you,  I  only 
say  I  think — that  the  young  people  are  quite  ready 
to  fall  in  love  with  one  another.  They  have  been 
thrown  together  under  most  romantic  circum- 
stances, but  he  has  behaved  very  oddly  of  late, 
and  I  could  not  but  indulge  in  some  theory  as  to 
the  cause.  I  have  learned  that  he  has  some 
young  lady  correspondent  up  North,  and,  know- 
ing what  susceptible  fellows  cadets  are  (from 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  173 

your  own  statements),  it  has  occurred  to  me  that 
he  may  have  gotten  into  some  entanglement 
there  from  which  he  would  now  gladly  escape. 
Now,  Bella,  put  on  your  thinking-cap.  You 
have  been  there  every  summer  for  six  or  eight 
years  (oh !),  and  although  much  above  cadets 
now  I  fancy,  you  still  retain  your  old  ascendency 
over  the  sex.  You  knew  Amory  well,  probably, 
and  possibly  he  has  made  you  a  confidante  of  his 
affairs.  What  young  girl  was  there  to  whom  he 
was  devoted  ?  Perhaps  you  and  I  can  help  him 
out  of  his  boyish  folly  and  into  something  that 
is  worth  having." 

"Was  there  ever  such  a  colossal  ass  ? 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THAT  evening  we  dined  at  Moreau's.  Things 
had  quieted  down  in  the  city,  though  the  troops 
still  remained  on  duty  in  the  streets ;  and  it  was 
with  eager  anticipation  of  meeting  Frank  Amory 
that  I  wended  my  way  to  the  tidy  old  restaurant 
with  its  sanded  floor,  its  glittering  array  of  little 
tahles,  and  the  ever-attentive  waiters.  Colonel 
Summers  and  his  party  had  not  yet  arrived. 
Would  Monsieur  step  up  to  the  room  and  wait 
their  coming?  Monsieur  would;  and,  taking 
the  Evening  Picayune  to  while  away  the  time,  Mr. 
Brandon  seated  himself  on  the  balcony  overlook- 
ing Canal  Street, — busy,  bustling,  thronged  as 
usual;  yet  bustling  in  the  languid,  Latinized 
sense  of  the  term ;  bustling  in  a  way  too  unlike 
our  Northern  business  centres  to  justify  the  use 
of  the  term.  No  sign  of  disorder  or  turmoil  was 
manifest.  The  banquettes  on  both  sides  were 
covered  with  ladies  and  children ;  the  street-cars 
on  the  esplanade  were  filled  with  passengers 
going  in  every  direction ;  the  booths,  fruit-stands, 
confectioneries  were  all  doing  a  thriving  busi- 
ness ;  the  newsboys  were  scurrying  to  and  fro  in 
their  picturesque  tatters  screaming  the  head-lines 
174 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  175 

of  thoir  evening  bulletins ;  carriages  and  cabri- 
olets were  rattling  to  and  fro;  the  setting  sun 
shone  hot  on  the  glaring  fa$ade  of  the  stone 
Custom-House  down  the  street :  and  beyond, . 
across  the  crowded  and  dusty  levee,  dense  vol- 
umes of  black  smoke  were  rising  from  the  tow- 
ering chimneys  of  the  boats  even  now  pushing 
from  the  shore  and  ploughing  huskily  up  the 
stream.  All  spoke  of  business  activity  and  lively 
trade.  The  mercurial  spirit  of  the  populace 
seemed  to  have  subsided  to  the  normal  level; 
and  the  riot  of  yesterday  was  a  thing  of  the  dis- 
tant past. 

Voices  on  the  stairs  called  me  into  the  cosey 
room,  and  Kitty  entered  radiant ;  with  her — not 
Mars  but  Mr.  Turpin ;  behind  her,  Colonel  Sum- 
mers and  the  doctor.  Pauline  had  again  decided 
to  remain  and  take  tea  with  the  landlady,  but 
Yinton  was  improving,  said  Harrod,  who  in- 
stantly added  an  inquiry  for  Amory. 

"  He  has  not  been  here,  nor  have  I  seen  him 
to-day.  Have  you,  Mr.  Turpin  ?"  I  asked. 

"No,  sir.  Amory  and  his  troop  were  sent 
up  to  Jeffersonville  at  noon,  so  I  learned  at 
headquarters,  and  they  have  not  come  back 
since." 

"  Then  we  must  go  on  without  him,"  said 
Harrod,  and  dinner  was  ordered  forthwith. 

Seated  by  Kitty's  side,  Mr.  Turpin  was  soon 
absorbed  in  the  duty  of  making  himself  agree- 


176  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

able.  Evidently  they  had  been  talking  of  Amory 
before  coming  in,  and,  whether  piqued  at  the 
latter's  conduct  in  not  yet  having  been  to  see 
her,  or  worse,  at  his  having  been  there  to  in- 
quire for  Vinton  and  not  for  her,  Kitty  was  in 
the  very  mood  to  render  her  new  admirer's  at- 
tentions acceptable.  She  was  sparkling  with 
animation.  She  was  listening  with  flattering 
eagerness  to  everything  he  said,  laughing  mer- 
rily at  every  sally ;  urging  him  to  tell  more  of 
his  cadet  clays  and  army  life ;  paying  no  heed  to 
any  of  the  rest  of  us;  plainly,  only  too  plainly, 
bent  on  fascinating  her  infantry  friend,  and  fas- 
cination it  plainly  was.  Mr.  Turpin  was  head 
over  heels  in  love  with  her  before  dinner  was 
half  over;  and  while  we  oldsters  were  discussing 
our  cigars  and  pousse  cafe  on  the  balcony  after 
that  repast,  they  were  seated  on  the  sofa  mer- 
rily, intently  chatting  together,  as  firm  friends 
as  though  they  had  known  one  another  from 
childhood.  So  intent  that  my  entrance  for  a 
match  in  nowise  disturbed  them ;  so  utterly  in- 
tent that  they  never  saw  what  I  saw  at  once, — 
Frank  Amory  standing  at  the  door. 

To  my  eager  welcome  he  responded  absently. 
Turpin  sprang  up  and  held  out  his  hand,  which 
was  taken  in  a  perfunctory  sort  of  way,  but 
there  was  no  heartiness  in  his  reply  to  the  cor- 
dial greeting  of  his  classmate.  He  bowed  in  a 
constrained  manner  to  Kitty,  who  had  flushed 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  177 

with  surprise — possibly  some  other  emotion — 
when  she  caught  sight  of  him ;  and  then  with- 
out further  notice  of  either  her  or  her  com- 
panion, he  passed  on  to  where  Harrod  was 
standing  at  the  open  window,  and  eagerly  in- 
quired for  Vinton,  but  his  bearing  was  forced 
and  unnatural.  He  had  already  dined,  he  said, 
and  had  been  unable  to  get  back  from  Jefferson- 
ville  with  the  troop  until  late,  too  late  to  accept 
Colonel  Surnmers's  invitation ;  so  he  had  merely 
dropped  in  to  inquire  after  his  captain,  as  he 
thought  we  would  still  be  here ;  and  now,  he 
said,  he  must  hasten  to  the  warehouse  on  Maga- 
zine Street,  as  there  was  no  telling  how  soon  he 
and  his  men  might  be  needed  again.  We  urged 
him  to  stay  and  make  one  of  a  party  to  go  to  the 
theatre,  but  Mars  was  adamant.  His  refusal  was 
even  curt.  "  Pray  make  my  excuses  and  apolo- 
gies to  the  ladies.  I'll  go  down  through  the 
hall,"  were  his  parting  words.  And  so,  without 
even  having  touched  Kitty's  hand  or  spoken  a 
sentence  to  her  by  way  of  welcome,  Mr.  Amory 
took  his  leave. 

"Was  he  "  miffed"  because  he  had  found  Turpin 
in  happy  l&te-h-t&te  with  her?  Had  he  hoped  to 
reserve  that  happiness  to  himself;  or  was  there 
some  deeper  reason  to  account  for  his  avoidance 
of  her  ?  Kitty  evidently  adopted  the  first-men- 
tioned explanation  of  his  conduct;  ascribed  his 
cold  salutation  and  sudden  departure  to  jealousy, 


178  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

— absolute  jealousy, — and  I  am  bound  to  say 
that  so  far  from  being  depressed  or  saddened  by 
bis  conduct  she  seemed  to  derive  additional  in- 
spiration or  stimulant.  A  burning  color  had 
mounted  to  her  cheeks ;  her  eyes  had  taken  an 
almost  defiant  sparkle;  her  coquetry  with  Turpin 
became  more  marked  than  before;  and,  as 
though  elated  at  the  betrayal  of  Amory's  feel- 
ings, and  excited  by  the  exhibition  of  his 
jealousy,  she  seemed  in  extraordinary  spirits. 
Turpin  promptly  accepted  the  invitation  to  go 
to  the  theatre,  provided  he  could  obtain  Major 
"Williams's  permission  to  be  absent  from  the 
battalion  during  the  evening,  and  went  off  to 
see  about  it  forthwith,  agreeing  to  join  us  at  the 
Royal  Street  lodgings  in  fifteen  minutes.  In 
less  than  fifteen  minutes  we  were  there.  Kitty 
ran  blithely  up-stairs  to  see  Pauline,  and  then 
Harrod  turned  to  me. 

"Brandon,  did  you  notice  anything  wrong 
with  Amory  to-night  ?"  he  asked,  anxiously. 

"  He  was  excited,  perhaps  upset,  at  seeing 
Turpin  where  he  was ;  but  why  do  you  ask  ?" 

"  It  was  something  more  than  that,  I  fear.  Did 
you  notice  his  eyes,  his  color  ?  Did  you  feel  his 
hand?" 

"  He  was  flushed,  I  noticed,  and  I  thought  it 
due  to  riding  all  day  in  the  sun ;  but  his  hand 
I  did  not  touch." 

"  It  was  burning  as  though  with  fever.     Can 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  179 

he  have  been  seized  as  Vinton  was  ?"  said  the 
colonel.  And  for  a  moment  we  looked  at  one 
another  in  silence.  "  You  know  he  has  been  up 
and  around  now  for  several  nights,  and  exposed 
all  day  to  the  heat  of  the  sun.  The  extremes  are 
dangerous  to  those  not  accustomed  to  our  Louisi- 
ana climate,  and  if  he  had  contracted  any  dis- 
order this  would  bring  it  out.  Here  comes  Mr. 
Turpin,"  continued  the  colonel.  "Let  us  ask 
him  what  he  observed." 

Turpin  joined  us  with  his  quick,  springy  step. 
"  The  major  says  I  may  go,"  he  spoke  blithely ; 
"but  is  not  Amory  coming?" 

"  It  was  of  Amory  we  wanted  to  ask  you,"  said 
Harrod.  "  He  seemed  very  unlike  himself  tho 
few  minutes  he  was  at  Moreau's.  Did  you  note 
anything  out  of  the  way  ?" 

Turpin  flushed.  "  Why — yes,"  said  he,  hesi- 
tatingly. "  He  seemed  a  little  queer — a  good 
deal  stiff  and  formal  and " 

"But  as  to  his  health.  Do  you  think  he  is 
well?" 

"  Why,"  said  Turpin,  with  a  sudden  start,  "  I 
had  not  thought  of  that.  I  ascribed  his  manner 
to — to — well,  he  always  was  a  quick,  impulsive 
fellow,  and  I  thought  perhaps  he  regarded  me 
as  being  in  the  way;  but  his  hand  was  hot, — 
hot  as  fire.  I'm  ashamed  I  did  not  think  of  it 
before." 

And    then  he    stopped   short,  for  Kitty  re- 


180  KITTF'S   CONqUEST. 

entered.  She  walked  smilingly  up  to  Mr.  Tur- 
pin  with  extended  hand. 

"  You  can  go  ?"  she  said.  "  I'm  so  glad.  How 
soon  must  we  start  ?  Pauline  is  coming  down  a 
moment."  And  with  Pauline's  coming  we  forgot 
for  the  time  being  our  talk  about  Amory. 

Very  gentle,  very  lovely,  looked  Miss  Sum- 
mers as  she  stood  answering  our  warm  inquiries 
about  the  major.  He  was  so  much  better ;  was 
sleeping  quietly  and  naturally,  the  nurse  said ; 
and  the  doctor  was  so  delighted  with  the  improve- 
ment, and  had  let  her  sit  for  a  while  by  the  bed- 
side and  talk  to  him,  though  the  major  himself 
was  forbidden  to  talk.  She  was  so  glad  we  were 
going  to  the  theatre.  It  must  be  wearisome 
staying  around  the  house  for  us,  though  she 
could  not  bear  to  go.  And  so  we  bade  her  good- 
night and  went  on  our  way. 

The  Varieties  was  crowded  that  night,  and  an 
admirable  play  was  on  the  stage ;  but  my  thoughts 
were  incessantly  wandering  back  to  Mars,  to  his 
strange  behavior,  and  to  Bella  Grayson  and  her 
possible  connection  with  his  changed  manner. 
Then,  too,  I  was  worried  about  Harrod's  theory, — • 
that  the  boy  was  ill.  All  things  considered,  I 
could  pay  very  little  attention  to  what  was  going 
on,  either  in  the  audience  or  on  the  stage.  Our 
seats  were  in  the  front  row  of  the  dress-circle,  a 
little  to  the  right  of  the  centre  of  the  house ;  and 
during  the  intermission  between  the  first  and 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  181 

second  acts  Kitty  and  Turpin  had  been  keeping 
up  an  incessant  chatter,  though  so  low-toned  and 
semi-confidential  that  I  heard  nothing  of  what 
was  said.  The  house  was  very  full,  as  I  say,  and 
many  gentlemen  were  standing  in  the  side  aisles 
over  the  proscenium  boxes.  Others  were  swarm- 
ing about  the  outer  row  of  dress-circle  seats. 
Others  still  were  seated  on  the  steps  leading  down 
into  the  parquet.  The  curtain  rose  upon  the 
second  act,  and  Kitty,  sitting  next  to  me,  with 
Turpin  on  her  other  side,  drew  back  and  glanced 
one  minute  up  in  my  face.  All  animation,  life, 
sparkle,  and  saucy  triumph  she  looked;  there 
was  a  mischievous  challenge  in  her  laughing  eyes 
as  they  met  mine,  then  wandered  off  to  the  stage. 
Another  moment  and  I  turned  to  her  to  whisper 
some  comment  upon  the  costume  worn  by  one  of 
the  actresses  and — how  can  I  describe  the  change 
that  had  come  over  her  face  ?  Pale,  startled,  yes, 
frightened.  She  was  staring  across  the  parquet 
towards  a  group  of  men  standing  in  the  outer 
aisle.  Following  her  eyes  I  too  looked,  and 
there,  glaring  at  our  party,  with  a  strange,  wild, 
uncanny  expression  on  his  face,  was  Frank 
Amory. 

For  an  instant  nothing  was  said.  Then,  invol- 
untarily, I  half  rose.  His  eyes  met  mine,  and, 
without  a  sign  of  recognition,  he  dropped  back 
in  the  throng  and  disappeared.  "Did  you  see 
him  ?"  I  exclaimed  to  Harrod.  "  Watch  !  See 

16 


182  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

where  he  goes !  It  is  Amory,  and  something  i& 
wrong." 

The  colonel  looked  at  me  in  startled  wonder- 
ment, but  a  glance  at  Kitty's  face  seemed  to  bring 
him  confirmation  of  my  statement.  I  rose  and 
looked  about  in  my  excitement  and  anxiety,  but 
an  indignant  "  Down  in  front !"  from  some  half- 
dozen  mouths  in  rear  brought  me  back  to  seat 
and  senses.  Not  until  the  close  of  the  act  could 
I  get  out.  Then,  followed  by  Harrod,  I  worked 
my  way  into  the  vestibule,  searched  the  corridors, 
the  bar-room,  the  main  stairway,  and  the  broad 
entrance.  No  sign  of  him.  Several  infantry 
officers  were  standing  there,  but,  in  answer  to 
my  appeal,  said  they  had  seen  nothing  of  Lieu- 
tenant Amory ;  but  at  the  gate  the  door-keeper 
remembered  a  young  officer  going  out  in  the 
middle  of  the  second  act  and  declining  a  return 
check.  I  determined  to  go  at  once  to  his  lodg- 
ings. Harrod  would  stay  and  look  after  Kitty 
and  Turpin. 

In  half  an  hour  I  had  reached  the  warehouse. 
A  sleepy  sentinel  told  me  that  the  lieutenant  was 
not  there.  He  occupied  a  room  "  over  beyant," 
in  a  large  frame  boarding-house.  Ringing  the 
bell,  a  colored  servant  answered.  "Would  he 
show  me  to  Lieutenant  Amory's  room?  He 
would,  and  we  went  up  the  main  stairway  and 
out  on  a  back  gallery  to  one  of  those  little  ten  by 
BIX  boxes,  without  which  no  New  Orleans  board- 


K1TTTS   CONqUEST.  183 

ing-placo  is  complete.  No  answer  to  our  knock, 
but  the  door  was  unlocked,  and  I  entered  and 
turned  up  the  light.  There  stood  his  trunk,  open. 
Papers  and  letters  were  strewn  on  the  bureau, 
and  among  them,  almost  the  first  to  catch  my 
eye,  was  a  dainty  envelope  addressed  in  that 
graceful,  unmistakable  hand  to  Lieutenant  Frank 
Amory  at  Sandbrook,  and  forwarded  thence  to 
New  Orleans.  He  had  had  another  letter,  then, 
from  Bella. 

In  answer  to  inquiries,  the  servant  said  that 
Mr.  Amory  had  come  in  "  lookin'  mighty  tired" 
late  in  the  afternoon ;  had  taken  a  bath,  dressed, 
and  gone  out  again  without  saying  a  word  to 
anybody,  and  had  not  been  back  since.  Telling 
him  he  might  go,  I  decided  to  await  Amory's 
return.  I  knew  not  where  to  search  for  him. 

It  was  then  late.  The  bells  of  the  churches 
over  on  Camp  Street  and  Lafayette  Square  were 
chiming  ten  o'clock.  All  below  was  very  quiet. 
The  distant  roar  of  wheels  down  towards  Canal 
Street,  and  the  tinkle  of  the  mule-cars  were  the 
only  sounds  that  struck  upon  the  ear.  I  felt 
strangely  worried  and  depressed,  and  sought  for 
something  with  which  to  occupy  my  thoughts  and 
keep  me  from  brooding.  Books  there  were  none, 
for  Mars  had  had  no  time  for  reading  since  his 
arrival ;  paper,  envelopes,  some  open  letters  were 
on  the  bureau  with  her  envelope,  but  the  letter 
it  had  contained  was  gone.  Tossing  them  over 


184  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

with  impatient  hand,  I  came  upon  two  envelopes 
addressed  in  his  vigorous  hand ;  one  to  his  mother, 
the  other  to  Miss  Isabel  R.  Grayson,  care  of 
Hon.  H.  C.  Grayson,  Syracuse,  New  York, — 
further  confirmation  of  my  theory.  Then  there 
were  some  scraps  of  paper  on  which  he  had  been 
scribbling;  and  on  one,  written  perhaps  a  dozen 
times,  was  the  name  "Kittie."  That  was  his 
way,  then,  of  spelling  it. 

An  hour  passed  by.  Eleven  o'clock  came,  and 
no  Amory.  I  could  stand  it  no  longer.  Once 
more  I  went  out  on  Magazine  Street,  and  over 
to  the  warehouse.  This  time  a  corporal  of  the 
guard  met  me  and  seemed  to  know  me. 

"No,  sir.  The  lieutenant  hasn't  been  in  all 
night,  sir,  and  it  isn't  his  way  at  all.  He  may 
be  over  at  headquarters.  Shall  I  send,  sir  ?" 

No.     I  decided  to  go  myself. 

Late  as  it  was,  a  broad  glare  of  light  shone  out 
from  the  upper  windows  of  the  handsome  brown- 
stone  residence,  occupied  at  the  time  by  the  com- 
manding general  as  the  offices  of  himself  and 
the  staff.  The  lower  hall  was  open.  I  entered 
and  went  up-stairs  to  the  first  open  door.  One 
or  two  officers  in  undress  uniform  were  lounging 
about ;  and,  seeing  me,  Colonel  Newhall  sprang 
up  and  came  hastily  forward,  inviting  me  to 
enter.  I  inquired  at  once  for  Amory,  and  briefly 
stated  that  we  feared  he  was  not  well.  This 
brought  to  his  feet  the  junior  aide-de-camp  whom 


KITTPS  CONQUEST.  185 

we  had  seen  galloping  down  Chartres  Street  the 
previous  night. 

"  Amory  was  here  early  in  the  evening  asking 
for  me,"  he  said,  "  and  he  left  this  note.  I  can- 
not understand.  He  seems  worried  about  some- 
thing." 

I  took  the  note  and  read, — 

"  DEAR  PARKER  :  Both  times  I've  been  in  to 
see  you  to-day,  you  happened  to  be  out.  I  must 
see  you.  I  must  get  a  leave  and  go  North  at 
once.  Can  you  suggest  any  way  of  helping  me  ? 
Some  one  must  take  the  troop.  I'll  be  in  this 
evening.  Do  wait  for  me. 

"  Yours, 

"  AMORY." 

"  It  is  after  eleven  now  and  no  sign  of  him," 
said  the  aide.  "  You  say  you  thought  he  looked 

J     •/  O 

ill?" 

"  Very  ill,"  I  answered,  "  and  I  am  strangely 
worried." 

"  Sit  down  just  a  few  minutes  until  I  see  the 
general.  Then,  if  possible,  I'll  go  with  you  and 
see  if  we  can  find  him." 

Perhaps  ten  minutes  afterwards  we  were  on 
our  way  back  to  his  temporary  quarters,  when  the 
aide-de-camp  called  out  to  a  man  whom  I  saw 
hurrying  along  the  opposite  side  of  the  street 
under  the  gas-lamp,  and  the  very  corporal  who 
16* 


386  K1TTFS  CONQUEST. 

was  on  duty  at  the  stables  came  springing  over 
the  cobble-stones. 

"  I  was  looking  for  you,  sir,"  he  said,  breath- 
lessly. "  Did  you  see  the  lieutenant  ?" 

"  No ;  where  is  he  ?" 

"  I  don't  know,  sir.  Directly  after  you  left  he 
jumped  oft'  a  street-car  and  ordered  us  to  saddle 
up.  I  routed  out  the  first  sergeant  and  the  men, 
but  before  they  could  get  their  clothes  and  belts 
on  he  had  leaped  on  his  horse  and  galloped  off 
down  the  street  like  mad.  "We  don't  know  what 
to  do,  sir." 

"  Which  way  did  he  go  ?"  quickly  asked  the 
officer  with  me. 

"  Down  the  street,  sir,  towards  Canal." 

"  Give  me  one  of  your  fastest  horses.  Tell  the 
first  sergeant  I  want  to  see  him  at  once,  and  let 
the  men  unsaddle  again." 

"  What  do  you  think  it  is?"  I  anxiously  asked. 

"  Fever ;  and  he  is  twice  as  delirious  as  Vinton 
was.  We  must  find  him  at  once." 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THAT  night  we  had  a  chase  such  as  I  had  never 
before  indulged  in.  The  aide-de-camp  believed 
Frank  Arnory  to  be  ill  with  fever  : — delirium  in 
fact,  but  to  my  knowledge  delirium  was  unusual 
as  a  first  symptom  of  an  ordinary  Southern  fever. 
He  might  be  feverish ;  might  indeed  be  ill ;  but 
that  alone  would  not  be  apt  to  cause  his  extra- 
ordinary excitement.  Two  or  three  officers  at 
headquarters  had  remarked  his  strange  manner 
and  absent-minded  replies,  said  the  aide,  while 
he  had  been  there  early  in  the  evening,  but  at 
that  time  his  face  was  pale  rather  than  flushed. 

At  the  stables  on  Magazine  Street  we  again 
questioned  the  sergeant.  "Did  the  lieutenant 
appear  to  be  under  any  strong  excitement?" 
asked  the  aide-de-camp,  and  the  sergeant  eyed 
him  askance  a  moment  as  though  he  misunder- 
stood the  drift  of  the  question,  seeing  which  I 
interposed, — 

"  The  captain  fears  that  Mr.  Amory  is  seized 
with  just  such  a  fever  as  that  which  prostrated 
Major  Yinton."  "Whereat  the  sergeant  looked 
relieved,  and  answered, — 

"I  couldn't  say,  sir.  He  never  spoke  more 

187 


188  KITTrS  CONqUEST. 

than  to  order  his  horse  and  then  go  off  at  a 
gallop.  But  two  or  three  times  lately  at  Sand- 
brook  he  has  done  that, — taken  his  horse  and 
gone  off  riding  at  the  dead  of  night.  He  may 
be  ill,  sir,  but  I  couldn't  say." 

This  news  in  some  way  strengthened  my  view 
of  the  case.  The  fact  that  he  had  frequently  or 
occasionally  gone  off  in  a  similar  manner  went 
to  prove  that  the  ailment  was  not  a  new  bodily 
trouble.  Knowing  what  1  knew  and  felt  bound 
to  keep  to  myself,  it  was  not  hard  to  determine 
that  mental  perturbations,  aggravated  perhaps 
by  recent  fatigues  and  excitements,  were  at  the 
bottom  of  Amory's  strange  conduct.  None  the 
less,  however,  I  was  eager  to  find  and  bring  him 
back.  He  ought  not  to  be  away  from  his  com- 
mand at  such  a  time.  Directing  the  sergeant  to 
say  to  Mr.  Amory  that  we  were  in  search  of 
him  and  begged  him  to  wait  for  us  on  his  re- 
turn, the  aide-de-camp  and  I  hurried  down  the 
street;  sought  a  cab-stand;  and,  jumping  into 
one  of  the  light  cabriolets  that  were  then  a  fea- 
ture of  the  New  Orleans  streets,  we  drove  rap- 
idly down  to  Vinton's  quarters.  I  thought  Amory 
might  have  galloped  thither.  A  dim  light  was 
burning  in  the  sick-room,  as  we  could  see  from 
the  front.  The  door  was  closed  and  locked,  but 
I  rang,  and  presently  a  servant  came  sleepily 
through  the  hall  and  stared  at  me  in  mild  stupe- 
faction. "  No.  Mr.  Amory  hadn't  been  there." 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  189 

I  brushed  past  the  darky  and  went  noiselessly 
up  the  stairs  and  tapped  at  Yinton 's  door.  The 
nurse  came  and  peered  at  me  through  the  inch- 
wide  crack :  not  a  whit  more  would  he  open  the 
door  lest  the  night  air  should  be  wafted  in. 

"We  fear  that  Lieutenant  Amory  is  taken 
ill,"  I  said  in  a  low  tone.  "  He  may  come  here 
to  see  his  captain.  Try  and  get  him  to  lie  down 
in  Colonel  Summers's  room  until  we  get  back, 
if  he  should  come."  The  nurse  nodded;  said 
that  Yinton  was  sleeping  quietly,  and  directed 
me  to  Harrod's  door.  I  knocked  there,  and  it 
was  opened  in  a  moment. 

"  What !  you,  Brandon  ?    Anything  wrong  ?" 

"  We  can't  find  Amory.  He  is  on  horseback 
and  galloping  around  town  all  by  himself.  They 
think  at  headquarters  that  he  may  be  ill  with 
fever  like  Yinton.  Mr.  Parker  and  I  are  hunt- 
ing for  him.  If  he  should  come  here,  get  him 
into  your  room  and  make  him  lie  down,  will 
you?" 

"  Certainly  I  will.  But,  Brandon,  had  not  I 
better  go  with  you?  Are  you  sure  he  is  ill? 
I  thought  him  strange  enough  at  Moreau's, 
but " 

"  I  cannot  say  what  it  is,"  I  broke  in,  impa- 
tiently. "  I  must  hurry  off,  as  he  must  be  found 
as  quickly  as  possible." 

With  that  I  turned  away  and  retraced  my 
Bteps  through  the  dimly-lighted  hall.  Reaching 


190  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

the  stairs  I  paused,  for  another  door  had  softly 
opened,  and  Pauline's  voice,  low-toned  and  anx- 
ious, was  heard. 

"  Harrod,  what  is  it  ?" 

"  Mr.  Amory  is  ill,  I'm  afraid,"  was  the  reply, 
and  I  hurried  back  to  the  street. 

Rapidly  we  drove  to  the  levee,  and  there  at 
the  depot  found  Major  Williams's  sleeping  bat- 
talion. The  aide  sprang  out  and  accosted  a 
sentry.  A  sergeant  came  with  a  lantern  and 
ushered  the  staff-officer  in  among  the  snoring 
groups ;  for  the  men  had  thrown  themselves  in 
their  blankets  upon  the  wooden  flooring.  Pres- 
ently they  reappeared,  and  with  them  came  Mr. 
Turpin,  hurriedly  adjusting  his  collar  and  cravat. 

"  Sheep  always  was  a  most  excitable  fellow," 
he  was  saying,  "  but  this  beats  me.  He  hasn't 
been  here  at  all,  and  I've  no  idea  where  he  can 
have  gone." 

Leaving  directions  what  was  to  be  done  in 
case  he  did  appear,  we  drove  away  up  Canal 
Street.  It  was  then  nearly  two  o'clock,  but 
there  were  still  loungers  around  the  Clay  statue; 
lights  gleaming  from  one  or  two  "  open-all- 
night"  bars  and  from  the  cab-lanterns  on  St. 
Charles  Street.  Our  driver  pulled  up,  and  Mr. 
Parker  sprang  out  and  exchanged  a  few  words 
with  a  policeman.  I  could  not  hear,  but  saw 
that  the  latter  pointed  up  the  street:  and  the 
aide  came  quickly  back, — 


KITTF'S  CONQUEST. 

"Drive  on, — right  out  Canal,  and  keep  a  bright 
lookout  for  an  officer  on  horseback,"  were  his 
orders,  as  we  whirled  away  over  the  smooth 
pavement. 

"  That  policeman  says  he  saw  a  young  officer 
gallop  out  this  way  not  ten  minutes  ago,  and  he's 
been  wondering  ever  since  what  was  going  on. 
He  walked  up  as  far  as  Dryades  Street  to  find 
out,  thinking  he  might  have  stopped  at  the  State- 
House;  but  all  is  quiet  there,  and  the  patrols 
told  him  the  officer  went  on  out  Canal,  riding 
like  mad." 

Evidently,  then,  Mars  had  stopped  somewhere 
or  had  ridden  elsewhere  before  going  out  towards 
the  swamps.  "We  peered  eagerly  up  and  down 
the  dimly-lighted  cross-streets  as  we  whirled 
rapidly  past  them.  The  lamps  along  the  broad 
thoroughfare  grew  infrequent;  the  street  was 
deserted.  Once  in  a  while  we  passed  a  carriage- 
load  of  revellers  returning  from  the  shell  road 
and  a  supper  at  the  "  Lake  End."  Well  out  to- 
wards the  stables  of  the  street-railway  we  caught 
sight  of  another  policeman ;  hauled  up,  and 
hailed  him  with  anxious  questioning.  No,  he 
had  seen  no  officer  on  horseback ;  his  beat  lay 
along  Canal  Street,  but  he  had  "  taken  a  turn 
through  a  side  street  after  a  couple  of  s'picious- 
lookin'  parties,"  and  might  have  been  gone  four 
or  five  minutes.  Crack !  went  the  whip,  and  we 
pushed  ahead.  Gas-lamps  now  became  few  and 


192  KITTrS   CONQUEST. 

far  between ;  open  stretches  of  level  turf  or 
prairie  were  visible  here  and  there  between  the 
houses  or  garden-walls;  the  moonlight  was 
tempered  and  shrouded  by  low-hanging  clouds, 
and  surrounding  objects  were  only  dimly  seen. 
Still  we  whirled  ahead  over  the  smooth-beaten 
road,  and  at  last  drove  rapidly  between  the  high 
walls  of  the  silent  cities  of  the  dead  that  bounded 
the  highway  near  the  crossing  of  the  canal.  Two 
or  three  loungers  were  hanging  about  the  dimly- 
lighted  portico  of  a  saloon.  Mr.  Parker  sprang 
out  and  made  some  rapid  inquiries,  then  hurried 
back  to  the  cab. 

"  He  crossed  here  nearly  half  an  hour  ago, — 
went  right  on  over  the  bridge,"  he  exclaimed,  as 
he  sprang  in  and  told  the  driver  to  whip  up. 
"  Turn  to  the  right,"  he  added.  "  Drive  towards 
Lake  End.  It's  the  only  place  he  can  have  gone." 
And  in  a  moment  more  the  wheels  were  whirring 
over  the  level  track ;  a  dense  hedgerow  of  swamp 
undergrowth  on  our  left;  the  dark  waters  of  the 
canal  on  our  right. 

"We  passed  two  or  three  roadside  hostelries, 
whose  enticing  lights  still  lured  the  belated  or 
the  dissipated  into  the  ready  bars.  Mr.  Parker 
scanned  them  as  we  drove  ahead. 

"He  never  drinks  a  drop,  I  hear,  and  it's  no 
use  looking  for  him  there." 

Nevertheless,  our  driver  suddenly  pulled  up  in 
front  of  a  lamp-lighted  entrance.  "  There's  a 


KITTFS   CONQUEST.  193 

couple  of  buggies  and  a  horse  in  under  that 
shed,"  said  he. 

The  aide-de-camp  jumped  out  and  stepped 
briskly  off  in  the  direction  indicated  by  the 
driver's  hand.  Our  cab  again  pulled  up.  Pres- 
ently he  emerged  from  the  darkness  of  the  shed. 

"It  isn't  Amory's  horse.  It's  a  Louisiana 
pony,"  said  he.  "  "Wait  one  moment  and  I'll  see 
who's  inside." 

With  that  he  sprang  up  the  steps  and  walked 
rapidly  towards  the  glass  doorways  of  the  bar. 

He  was  in  civilian  dress  except  for  the  forage- 
cap, which  he  had  hastily  picked  up  when  we 
left  the  office.  Its  gold  cord  and  crossed  sabres 
gleamed  under  the  lamp  as  he  sharply  turned  the 
door-knob  and  entered  the  room.  Even  without 
that  cap  I  by  this  time  would  have  known  his 
profession ;  he  had  that  quick,  springy,  nervous 
walk  and  erect  carriage  so  marked  among  the 
younger  West-Pointers.  My  eyes  followed  him 
until  he  disappeared ;  so  apparently  did  others. 

From  the  farther  end  of  the  gallery  two  dark 
forms  rose  from  a  sitting  posture,  and  one  of 
them  came  tiptoeing  along  towards  the  doorway. 
Our  cab  had  halted  near  the  steps  at  the  end  op- 
posite them,  and,  despite  our  lights,  the  stealth- 
ily-moving figure  seemed  to  pay  no  attention  to 
us.  Before  I  had  time  to  conjecture  wrhat  his 
object  could  be,  the  man  crouched  before  the 
door,  his  hat  pulled  low  over  his  fcrehead,  and 
i  n  17 


194  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

peered  eagerly  through  the  glass.  Then  he  turned 
his  head ;  gave  a  low  whistle,  and,  almost  at  a 
run,  the  second  figure,  in  slouch  hat  like  the  first 
and  with  overcoat  pulled  well  up  about  his  ears, 
hurried  to  his  side;  stooped;  peered  through, 
and  shook  his  head. 

"Drive  up  there,  quick!"  I  said.  And,  as 
hoof  and  wheel  crunched  through  the  gravel,  the 
pair  drew  suddenly  back;  sprang  noiselessly 
down  the  steps  and  in  among  the  shrubbery 
out  of  my  sight.  Almost  at  the  same  instant 
Mr.  Parker  reappeared;  took  his  seat  beside 
me,  and,  before  I  could  interpose,  called  out, 
"  Drive  on, — Lake  End."  And  away  we  went, 
leaving  the  mysterious  strangers  in  the  dusk 
behind  us. 

"  Amory  has  not  been  seen  there,  nor  beyond. 
There  are  two  young  sports  in  there  who  came 
in  from  Lake  End  half  an  hour  ago,  but  they  are 
both  pretty  full.  The  barkeeper  said  there  were 
two  more  gentlemen  who  came  out  from  town 
with  another  buggy  earlier,  but  they  had  gone 
outside." 

"  I  saw  them,"  answered  I,  "  and  they  are  bad 
characters  of  some  kind.  They  stole  up  on  tip- 
toe and  peered  after  you  as  you  went  in,  then 
sprang  back  out  of  sight  as  you  came  out.  I 
wanted  to  tell  you  about  them.  They  seemed 
waiting  or  watching  for  somebody." 

"  Gamblers   or  l  cappers'  probably.     Fellows 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  195 

wbo  lie  in  wait  for  drunken  men  with  money  and 
steer  them  into  their  dens, — fleece  them,  you 
know.  The  streets  are  full  of  them  day  and 
night." 

"Yes;  but  these  men  wore  slouch  hats  and 
overcoats  that  muffled  their  faces,  and  they 
watched  you  so  oddly.  Why  did  they  leap  back 
as  you  came  out  ?" 

"  That  was  odd,"  said  Mr.  Parker,  thought- 
fully. "  Could  you  see  nothing  of  their  faces  ?" 

"  Nothing  at  all,  except  that  the  first  man  had 
a  heavy  dark  moustache,  and  was  tall  and  stoutly 
built;  the  other  seemed  young  and  slight;  his 
face  was  hidden  entirely." 

The  aide-de-camp  leaned  out  and  looked  back 
along  the  dark  road ;  then  drew  in  again. 

"No  use  to  look,"  he  said.  "Even  if  they 
were  to  follow  I  could  not  see ;  their  buggy  has 
no  lamps,  our  rig  has  to  have  them.  Are  you 
armed  ?" 

"  No ;  I  never  carry  anything." 

"  Nor  I,  as  a  rule;  yet  had  I  thought  we  would 
come  so  far  at  this  time  of  night  I  would  have 
brought  my  revolver.  Not  that  any  attack  is  to 
be  feared  from  those  two  unless  there  should  be 
a  crowd  at  their  back;  otherwise  we  would  be 
three  to  two." 

"  But  they  are  armed,  and  we  are  not." 

"  They  think  we  are,  all  the  same.  The  aver- 
age citizen  hereabouts  goes  prepared  to  shoot  if 


196  KITTY'S   CONqUEST. 

he  is  on  a  night-prowl  like  this.  I  don't  know 
why  I  asked  if  you  were  armed.'"' 

Then  for  some  distance  we  rattled  along  in 
silence.  The  clouds  had  grown  heavier ;  a  few 
heavy  rain-drops  had  pattered  in  on  our  faces, 
and  the  night  air  was  damp  and  raw.  "We  passed 
one  or  two  more  dark  houses,  and  then  came  in 
view  of  the  lights  at  Lake  End.  Here,  despite 
the  lateness  of  the  hour,  one  or  two  resorts  seemed 
still  to  be  open  and  patronized.  Directing  the 
driver  to  turn  towards  the  lights  on  the  right, 
Mr.  Parker  again  sprang  out,  looked  in  the  car- 
riage-shed, then  into  the  bar-room;  came  out, 
crossed  the  way,  and  made  a  similar  search  in  a 
neighboring  establishment.  Then  I  saw  him 
questioning  a  sleepy-looking  stableman,  and  then 
he  came  back  to  me.  Perplexity  and  concern 
were  mingled  in  his  face  as  he  stood  there  look- 
ing up  at  me  in  the  glare  of  our  lamp. 

"Nobody  has  been  here  on  horseback  since 
midnight.  These  are  the  only  places  open  since 
that  hour,  and  now  there  are  not  more  than  half 
a  dozen  people  out  here — roysterers  after  a  late 
supper.  Where  could  Amory  have  gone  ?  Do 
you  suppose  he  knew  his  way  back  by  "Washing- 
ton Avenue,  and  had  turned  to  the  left  instead 
of  this  way  ?" 

"  He  is  an  entire  stranger  in  New  Orleans, — 
never  was  out  here  before  in  his  life, — and  I 
don't  know  what  to  make  of  it." 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST,  197 

He  looked  at  his  watch,  retook  his  seat.  ""We 
must  get  back  to  the  bridge,"  said  he.  "Driver, 
stop  at  Qaston's, — where  we  were  before, — and 
go  lively." 

Now  through  the  pattering  rain  we  hurried 
on  our  return  trip.  We  were  silent,  plunged  in 
thought  and  anxiety.  In  some  way  those  two 
skulkers  at  Gaston's  had  become  connected  in 
my  mind  with  Amory's  disappearance.  I  could 
not  shake  off  the  impression,  and,  as  though  the 
same  train  of  thought  were  affecting  my  com- 
panion, he  suddenly  spoke, — 

"You  say  that  those  men  followed  me  as  I 
went  in,  and  sprang  out  into  the  shrubbery  as  I 
came  back?" 

"Yes;    as  though  to   avoid   being   seen  by 

you." 

He  took  off  his  forage-cap  and  looked  disgust- 
edly at  it  a  moment. 

"  Confound  this  thing !  "Why  didn't  I  wear 
my  hat  ?"  he  muttered ;  then  turned  suddenly  to 
me :  "  Mr.  Brandon,  when  we  get  back  to  Gas 
ton's  let  me  have  your  hat,  will  you  ?  I  would 
like  to  take  another  look  in  there,  and  if  you 
will  stay  in  the  cab,  we  will  stop  this  side  of  the 
entrance,  and  I'll  go  ahead  on  foot.  Here,  driver, 
hold  up  a  moment." 

Cabby  reined  in  his  horse  and  turned  towards 
us  in  surprise.     The  aide-de-camp  sprang  out  in 
the  rain  and  began  working  at  the  lamp. 
17* 


[98  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

"Don't  put  it  out,  sir;  it's  against  orders," 
said  the  driver. 

"Never  you  mind,  driver;  I'll  be  responsible 
for  any  row  there  may  be  over  it.  There  is 
reason  for  it,  and  a  mighty  good  one.  Douse 
that  glim  on  your  side.  That's  right !  Now  go 
ahead,  lively  as  you  can,  and  stop  just  this  side 
of  Gaston's." 

Then  for  a  while  we  pushed  on  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  nobody  spoke.  Finally  the  driver 
turned,  saying  that  Gaston's  lights  were  near  at 
hand ;  presently  he  reined  up.  Mr.  Parker  ex- 
changed head-gear  with  me ;  pulled  the  brim  of 
my  roomy  black  felt  well  down  over  his  face; 
and,  cautioning  us  in  a  low  tone  to  remain  where 
we  were,  disappeared  in  the  direction  of  the 
lights. 

It  must  have  been  long  after  three.  I  was 
tired  and  chilled.  The  driver  got  out  his  gum 
coat  and  buttoned  it  around  him.  Five — ten 
minutes  we  waited.  No  sound  but  the  dismal 
patter  of  the  rain.  Full  quarter  of  an  hour 
passed,  it  seemed  to  me,  before  I  saw  a  lantern 
coming  rapidly  out  of  the  darkness  in  front,  and 
presently  Mr.  Parker's  voice  was  heard. 

"  Come  on ;  drive  slowly.  Go  right  in  to  Gas- 
ton's,"  and,  even  as  he  spoke,  he  swung  in  beside 
me.  "  Had  Amory  any  money,  do  you  know  ?" 
he  asked,  before  fairly  taking  his  seat. 

"  No.     Why  ?" 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  199 

"  There  is  something  strange  about  this  affair 
I  cannot  fathom.  I've  been  talking  with  Gaston 
and  one  of  his  men.  The^  have  been  sitting  up 
waiting  for  us  to  get  back.  Those  two  footpads 
were  up  to  some  mischief,  and  I'm  afraid  it  was 
Amory  they  were  after.  You  will  hear  in  a 
moment.  Come  into  the  bar,"  he  said,  as  the 
cab  stopped  at  the  steps. 

Another  moment  and  Gaston  himself  had 
ushered  us  into  a  little  room  and  proceeded  to 
tell  his  tale.  We  had  no  sooner  left,  he  said, 
than  those  gentlemen  who  came  from  town  in 
the  buggy  after  midnight  re-entered  the  bar, 
ordered  drinks,  and  asked  Gaston  to  join  them. 
One  was  a  big  man,  with  a  heavy  moustache, 
and  deep-set  eyes  under  very  shaggy  brows ;  he 
was  rather  poorly  dressed,  and  had  no  watch. 
The  other  was  a  young,  dark-eyed,  handsome 
fellow,  with  dark  moustache,  stylish  clothes,  and 
a  fine  gold  watch,  which  he  kept  nervously 
looking  at  every  moment  or  so.  The  former 
did  all  the  talking;  the  latter  paid  for  every- 
thing they  ordered  both  before  and  after  our 
visit.  After  a  few  ordinary  remarks  the  big 
man  asked  Gaston  who  the  young  officer  was, 
and  Gaston,  knowing  him  to  be  stationed  in  the 
city  and  having  often  seen  him,  gave  his  name. 
Then  they  wanted  to  know  who  was  with  him  in 
the  cab,  and  "what  took  him  off  so  sudden.'7 
Gaston  had  seen  nobody  with  him,  but  told  them 


200  KITTY* S  CONQUEST. 

unhesitatingly  that  Mr.  Parker  was  in  search  of 
a  friend, — an  officer  who  had  ridden  out  on 
horseback.  At  this  the  men  had  looked  sud- 
denly at  one  another,  and  very  soon  after  had 
gone  out,  saying  they  believed  they  would  drive 
back,  it  looked  like  rain. 

Five  minutes  afterwards,  Louis,  the  hostler, 
came  into  the  bar  and  asked  Gaston  who  those 
men  were,  and,  on  being  told  that  they  were 
strangers,  had  replied,  "  Well,  they're  here  for 
no  good,  and  I'd  like  to  follow  them  up.  They 
didn't  see  me  out  there  in  the  dark,  and  were 
talking  very  low  and  fast  when  they  came  for 
their  buggy."  We  called  Louis  in  and  had  his 
story  from  his  own  lips.  He  had  heard  their 
talk,  and  it  alarmed  and  puzzled  him.  The  big 
man  was  saying  with  an  oath  that  some  man  they 
were  waiting  for  must  be  around  there  some- 
where ;  he  had  come  across  the  bridge,  for  Gas- 
ton  told  them  the  officer  said  so.  The  little  man 
was  excited,  and  had  answered,  "Well,  we've 
got  to  tackle  him ;  but  don't  you  drive  into  any 
light."  With  that  and  some  more  talk  they  had 
got  into  the  buggy  and  had  driven  rapidly  off 
towards  the  Canal  Street  bridge. 

"  How  long  ago  ?"  asked  Mr.  Parker. 

"  Full  half  an  hour,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Then  we  had  better  start  at  once,"  said  the 
aide  to  me.  "  What  other  places  are  there  near 
here  that  would  be  open  now,  Gaston  ?" 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  201 

"  None  at  all.  I'd  have  been  shut  long  ago  but 
for  this  affair.  There  are  one  or  two  saloons 
near  the  bridge  and  the  Metairie  track,  but  none 
would  be  open  this  late." 

Thanking  them  for  their  information,  and 
promising  to  let  them  know  if  anything  resulted, 
we  hurried  out  to  the  cab  and  told  the  driver  to  go 
to  the  bridge.  We  were  both  more  than  anxious 
by  this  time,  and  were  unable  to  account  for  the 
strange  proceedings  in  any  satisfactory  manner. 

The  rain  seemed  to  have  held  up  for  a  few 
moments,  and  the  veil  of  clouds  thrown  over  the 
face  of  the  moon  had  perceptibly  thinned,  so  that 
a  faint,  wan  light  fell  upon  roadway,  swamp,  and 
canal.  The  lamps  at  the  crossing  burned  with  a 
yellowish  glare.  No  one  was  visible  around  the 
bridge  or  the  buildings  at  the  city  end, — no  one 
from  whom  we  could  obtain  information  as  to 
the  movements  of  Amory  or  of  the  two  strangers. 

"  There  are  one  or  two  places  over  here  on  the 
upper  side  I  mean  to  have  a  look  at,"  said  Mr. 
Parker,  "and  if  no  one  is  there,  Amory  must 
have  gone  back  to  town." 

We  had  turned  to  the  right,  towards  Lake 
Pontchartrain,  on  coming  out.  Now  the  driver 
was  directed  to  go  to  the  other  side.  Parker 
kept  peering  out  into  the  darkness,  and  presently 
the  driver  said, — 

"  I  think  there's  a  light  in  there  at  Gaffney's." 

"  Hold  up,  then,"  said  the  aide.     "  Now,  Mr. 


202  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

Brandon,  lend  me  your  hat  again  :  I'm  going  to 
hunt  through  one  or  two  sheds  hereabouts  for 
that  buggy.  I  may  be  gone  ten  or  twelve  minutes. 
You  get  the  cab  into  this  little  side  alley  here  and 
wait.  Those  men  will  be  on  the  watch  for  our 
lamps  if  they  are  still  here,  but  I  can  crawl  up 
on  them  by  keeping  the  cab  out  of  sight." 

The  side  alley  proved  to  be  a  lane  leading 
through  the  tall  hedge  of  swampy  vegetation.  I 
could  not  see  where  it  led  to,  but  the  driver  said 
it  only  ran  out  a  few  hundred  feet  to  some  barns 
that  lay  near  the  old  Metairie  track.  He  drove 
in,  however,  and  halted  the  cab  close  under  the 
hedge  on  one  side.  Too  nervous  to  sit  still,  I  got 
out  and  walked  back  to  the  main  road,  where 
the  buildings  of  Gaffney's  place  could  be  seen. 
There  was,  as  the  driver  had  said,  a  dim  light, 
but  it  seemed  to  be  in  one  of  the  rear  rooms. 

For  five  minutes  all  was  silent.  Then,  far  up 
the  road,  I  thought  I  heard  the  beat  of  horses' 
hoofs  coming  on  at  a  jog-trot.  Listening  in- 
tently, I  soon  was  assured.  Nothing  could  be 
seen  along  the  dark  shadow  of  the  hedgerow; 
the  light  was  too  feeble  to  point  out  objects  in  the 
road;  but  every  moment,  more  and  more  dis- 
tinctly, I  heard  what  I  felt  certain  to  be  a  horse 
and  buggy  coming  towards  us.  Then  all  of  a 
sudden  the  sound  ceased. 

The  approach  to  Gaffney's  was  a  semicircular 
Bweep  of  shell  road  leading  from  the  main  high- 


KITTPS   CONQUEST.  203 

way  to  the  galleries  of  the  saloon.  There  wag 
probably  a  distance  of  a  hundred  yards  between 
the  two  entrances.  I  was  standing  at  the  north- 
ern end.  That  buggy  had  evidently  stopped  at 
or  very  near  the  other.  I  almost  fancied  I  could 
see  it.  Now,  had  Parker  heard  it  coming? 
Waiting  a  moment  more  in  breathless  expec- 
tancy, I  suddenly  heard,  as  though  from  the 
shrubbery  in  front  of  Gaffney's,  low,  prolonged, 
and  clear,  a  whistle.  My  nerves  leaped  with 
sudden  start.  The  same  odd  thrill  of  tremulous 
excitement  seized  me  that  had  so  mastered  me  that 
strange  night  in  the  old  plantation  home  at  Sand- 
brook.  It  was  for  all  the  world  like  the  signal- 
whistle  that  had  so  roused  me  that  night,  only 
very  much  softer.  Could  it  have  been  from  Mr. 
Parker  ?  "Whether  it  was  or  no  he  would  prob- 
ably need  me  now.  I  crept  into  the  shadow  of 
the  hedgerow  and,  on  tiptoe,  hastened  up  the 
curve  towards  the  gallery.  A  dim  figure  was 
standing  at  the  end  of  the  house  peering  towards 
the  other  entrance, — a  figure  that  held  out  a 
warning  hand,  and  I  stole  noiselessly  up  beside 
it,  my  heart  beating  like  a  trip-hammer.  It  was 
Parker. 

"  Quiet,"  he  whispered ;  "  I  think  we  have 
treed  our  buggy  friends." 

"  The  buggy  is  out  there  on  the  road,"  I  an- 
swered. 

"  It  was,  but  that  whistle  will  bring  it  in  here. 


204  KITTY'S  CONQUEST 

There  stands  the  big  man  just  at  the  other  end 
of  the  gallery.  He  cannot  see  us ;  he  is  looking 
the  other  way.  Follow  me  across  into  the  shrub- 
bery and  we  will  get  up  near  him.  I'm  bound 
to  hear  what  devilment  they  are  up  to." 

With  that  he  sprang  lightly  across.  I  fol- 
lowed ;  and,  crouching  noiselessly  along  the  soft 
grass,  we  stole  through  the  low  trees  and  bushes 
until  nearly  opposite  the  southern  end  of  the 
gallery.  Almost  at  the  same  instant  the  buggy 
came  driving  up  the  turn,  and  a  voice  uttered  an 
impatient  "  Whoa !" 

"  What  have  you  seen  ?"  queried  the  party  in 
the  buggy  in  a  low,  agitated  voice, — a  voice  I 
knew  I  had  heard  before,  and  instinctively 
reached  forth  my  hand  and  placed  it  on  my 
companion's  arm. 

"  Seen !  Not  a  d — d  thing.  Your  blue-bellied 
skunk  has  been  too  smart  for  you,  Cap.  He  not 
only  hasn't  come  himself,  but  he's  got  his  friends 
out  here  on  your  track." 

•*  He  has  come,  I  tell  you,"  answered  the  first 
speaker.  "  You  know  yourself  they  were  asking 
for  him  at  Gaston's,  and  that  fellow  at  the  bridge 
told  you  he  saw  him  ride  across." 

"  Then  where'd  he  go  to  ?"  said  the  other, 
sulkily  and  savagely.  "  No  man  passed  Gaston's 
on  horseback,  I  can  swear  to  that;  and  if  he 
came  at  all  as  far  as  the  bridge,  why  didn't  he 
come  the  rest  of  the  way  ?  Where  did  he  go  ? 


KITTF'S  CONQUEST.  205 

H jw  did  he  get  back  ?    Are  you  sure  you  wrote 
plain  directions  ?" 

"  Plain !  Of  course  I  did.  I  wrote  turn  to- 
wards the  lake,  to  the  south,  after  crossing  the 
bridge,  and  he'd  find  me;  and  so  he  would, 
d — n  him !"  added  the  younger  man  between 
his  teeth.  His  voice  was  growing  more  and 
more  familiar  to  me  every  moment  in  its  sulky, 
peevish  tones. 

"  But  you  said  he  was  a  stranger  here.  How 
was  he  to  know  where  the  lake  lay  ?" 

"  Suppose  he  didn't !  I  told  him  to  turn  south. 
Any  man  knows  north  from  south  I  reckon. 
Perhaps  the  white-livered  sneak  was  a  Yank  at 
bottom,  and  lost  his  nerve." 

"  Tain't  likely.  Not  from  what  I  seen  of  him. 
His  kind  don't  scare  so  d — d  easy  at  yours,  and 
he  came  out  here  to  find  you,  you  bet.  Why 
didn't  you  say  turn  to  the  right  instead  of  south  ? 
Damfino  which  is  north  or  south  here  anyhow 
How  was  he  to  know  ?" 

"  Don't  be  a  fool !"  said  the  other,  impatiently, 
"  everybody  knows  the  river  runs  north  and 
south,  and  Canal  Street  runs  out  right  angles  to 
the  river,  and  you  turn  to  the  right  to  go  to  the 
lake.  It  must  be  south." 

Here  I  couldn't  help  nudging  my  neighbor, 
the  aide,  who  was  chuckling  with  delight  at  this 
scientific  statement. 

"  "Well,  by  Gawd !  you  may  know  more  'bout 

18 


206  KITTrS  CONqUEST. 

it  than  I  do ;  but  when  I  got  off  that  boat  yester- 
day morning  up  there  by  Julia  Street,  d — n  me 
if  the  sun  wasn't  rising  in  the  west  then, — over 
there  across  Algiers, — and  if  the  Yank  is  no 
better  posted  on  the  points  of  the  compass  than 
I  am,  strikes  me  he's  slipped  out  of  your  trap  easy 
enough." 

"  You  mean  he's  gone  to  the  left — past  here  ?" 
asked  the  other,  snarlingly. 

"  Just  that.  He's  taken  the  turn  to  the  lett. 
None  of  these  places  this  side  have  been  open 
since  we  came  out ;  and  seeing  no  one,  he's  kept 
on,  and  probably  got  back  to  town  some  other 
way.  Like  enough  he's  in  bed  and  asleep  by 
this  time,  and  here  we've  been  fooling  away  the 
whole  night." 

Chilled  as  I  was,  trembling  'twixt  cold  and 
excitement,  I  was  beginning  to  enjoy  this  con- 
versation hugely.  More  than  that,  both  the  aide 
and  myself  were  beginning  to  feel  assured  that 
Amory  was  safe. 

"  Then  all  we  can  do  is  go  back,"  said  the 
young  man  in  the  buggy,  after  a  moment  of 
silence.  "But  I'll  get  that  fellow  yet,"  he  added, 
with  a  torrent  of  blasphemy.  "  Get  in." 

"  Where's  that  flask  of  yours?"  asked  the  man 
on  the  steps.  "  I  want  a  drink." 

"  Get  in  first  and  I'll  give  it  to  you." 

Then  we  heard  the  creaking  of  the  springs, 
and  the  dim,  shadowy  form  of  the  big  man  lum- 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  207 

bered  into  the  light  vehicle.  A  gurgle*  and  a 
long-drawn  "  ah-h-h"  followed,  then, — 

"Got  a  cigar?" 

"Yes;  but  hadn't  we  better  wait  until  we  get 
back  on  Canal  Street  before  lighting  them  ?  We 
want  to  look  out  for  those  other  fellows  in  that 
cab,  you  know." 

"  Oh,  d — n  them !  You  can  see  their  lamps 
half  a  mile  off.  Here,  give  us  a  match." 

Another  minute  and  a  feeble  glare  illuminated 
the  dark  interior.  Pale  and  blue  at  first,  it 
speedily  gained  strength  and  lighting  power. 
Eagerly  we  scanned  the  two  faces,  now  for  one 
never-to-be-forgotten  instant  revealed  to  our  gaze. 
One  lowering,  heavy-browed,  coarse,  and  bearded ; 
the  other — ah,  well  I  knew  I  had  heard  that 
voice,  for  there,  half  muffled  in  the  heavy  coat, 
naif  shrouded  by  the  slouching  hat,  were  the 
pale,  clear-cut,  dissipated  features  I  had  marked 
so  keenly  at  Sandbrook.  It  was  the  face  of  Ned 
Peyton. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

ANOTHER  minute  the  match,  spluttering  in  the 
damp  night  air,  was  extinguished ;  but  I  had  seen 
enough.  To  the  amaze  of  my  companion,  to  the 
scandal  of  any  legal  or  professional  education  I 
might  have  had,  indignation  got  the  better  of  all 
discretion,  and  I  burst  through  the  shrubbery 
and  laid  my  hand  on  the  rein. 

"Mr.  Peyton,  I  believe,"  said  I,  in  a  tone 
intended  to  be  double-shotted  with  sarcasm. 
"Think  we  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  at 
Judge " 

"  Hell !"  hissed  a  startled  voice.  "  Quick, — 
drive  on !"  Crack !  went  the  whip ;  the  horse 
plunged  violently  forward ;  the  wheel  struck  me 
full  on  the  left  leg  and  hurled  me  against  the 
stout  branches  of  some  dripping  bush,  and  with 
a  whirr  of  wheels  and  crushing  of  gravel  the 
buggy  disappeared  in  the  darkness.  Mr.  Parker 
ran  to  my  assistance,  and  together  we  rushed  to 
our  own  cab. 

"  Follow  that  buggy  !  Be  lively  !"  was  all  I 
could  find  breath  to  say  to  our  driver,  and  then 
we  were  off  in  pursuit.  We  heard  their  hoofs 

208 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  209 

and  wheels  thundering  over  the  bayou  bridge, 
and  saw  their  light  vehicle  flash  under  the  lamps 
at  the  Canal  Street  end,  and  that  was  the  last  we 
ever  did  see  of  them.  Our  old  horse  with  his 
heavy  load  was  no  match  for  theirs.  Long  be- 
fore we  reached  the  open  road  beyond  the  ceme- 
teries, they  were  spinning  along  hundreds  of 
yards  out  of  sight  ahead,  and  gaining  at  every 
stride.  In  hurried  words  I  told  the  aide-de-camp 
who  the  youth  was  and  what  I  knew  about  him, 
and,  like  myself,  he  was  eager  to  overhaul  him ; 
but  it  was  useless.  Not  a  trace  could  we  find  of 
the  precious  pair  as  we  drove  in  town.  Day  was 
breaking,  and  all  our  thoughts  now  turned  to 
Amory.  Where  was  he,  and  how  had  he  escaped 
the  trap  ? 

In  the  cold,  misty  dawn  we  reined  up  at  the 
Magazine  Street  warehouse.  The  sentry,  with 
his  head  wrapped  in  the  cape  of  his  overcoat, 
called  out  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  and  of  him 
we  eagerly  inquired.  Yes.  The  lieutenant  had 
returned,  about  an  hour  ago,  his  horse  covered 
with  mud  and  much  "  blown."  The  lieutenant 
seemed  to  have  a  chill,  and  had  gone  right  to  his 
room.  Thither  we  followed,  and  noiselessly 
ascending  the  stairs,  made  our  way  out  to  the 
gallery.  A  dim  light  burned  in  the  window; 
the  door  was  half  open,  and  by  the  bedside  sat  a 
soldier,  who  at  sight  of  Mr.  Parker  rose  and 
saluted  respectfully. 

o  18* 


210  KITTrS   CONQUEST. 

"  What  has  been  the  matter,  orderly  ?"  asked 
the  aide-de-camp,  in  a  whisper. 

"  I  don't  quite  know,  sir.  Lieutenant  Amory 
came  home  with  a  bad  chill  about  an  hour  ago, 
and  quick  as  he  dismounted  I  came  over  with 
him,  and  he  took  some  quinine  and  got  to  bed. 
He's  just  gone  to  sleep.  He  hasn't  been  to  bed 
for  forty-eight  hours,  sir,  and  must  be  used  up." 

"We  stepped  forward  and  bent  over  him.  He 
bad  removed  his  heavy  riding-boots  and  trousers ; 
his  cavalry  jacket  was  thrown  on  the  chair  at  the 
foot  of  the  bed ;  and,  muffled  up  in  blankets,  he 
lay  there,  sleeping  heavily  yet  uneasily.  He 
moaned  in  his  slumber,  and  threw  himself  rest- 
lessly on  the  other  side  as  we  raised  the  light  to 
see  his  face.  Placing  my  hand  lightly  on  his 
forehead,  I  found  it  burning ;  so  were  his  cheeks, 
his  hands.  Fever  had  certainly  set  in  after  his 
chill,  but  of  how  severe  a  character  we  could  not 
judge,  and  it  would  never  do  to  awaken  him 
"We  stepped  out  on  the  landing,  and  after  a  briei 
consultation,  decided  that  Parker  should  find  the 
attending  surgeon  and  send  him  to  us  as  soon 
as  possible.  Meantime,  I  would  remain  with 
Amory. 

In  less  than  an  hour  the  doctor  arrived.  Very 
thoroughly,  yet  very  gently,  he  examined  his 
patient  as  to  pulse  and  temperature;  closely 
scrutinized  his  face,  and  then  replaced  the  bed- 
clothing  that  in  his  fevered  tossing  Amory  had 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  211 

thrown  off.  Seeing  the  anxiety  in  my  eyes,  he 
spoke, — 

"  Very  feverish,  and  probably  quite  ill.  You 
did  right  not  to  wake  him.  He  will  not  sleep 
long,  and  every  little  helps.  I  will  stay  for  the 
present,  and  be  with  him  when  he  does  wake,  for 
until  then  I  cannot  really  judge  of  his  condition. 
What  a  night  you  have  had  of  it,  Mr.  Brandon ! 
Parker  has  been  telling  me  something  of  it." 

I  glanced  half  reproachfully  at  Parker.  "We 
had  agreed  to  keep  the  thing  to  ourselves  until  I 
could  see  Harrod  and  consult  with  him.  But  the 
aide  promptly  relieved  me  of  any  misapprehen- 
sion. He  had  "  named  no  names,"  nor  had  he 
spoken  of  the  part  played  by  Peyton.  Then,  at 
the  doctor's  suggestion,  we  withdrew,  to  seek  such 
rest  as  we  could  find  after  our  night  in  the  rain. 
Leaving  Parker  at  headquarters,  with  the  promise 
to  meet  him  late  in  the  afternoon,  I  went  to  my 
own  rooms,  gave  my  suspicious-looking  landlady 
directions  that  I  was  not  to  be  disturbed  until 
noon,  and,  tired  out,  slept  until  after  two  o'clock. 

When  I  opened  my  eyes,  Harrod  Summers 
rose  from  an  easy-chair  in  the  sitting-room,  and 
came  forward  to  greet  me  with  outstretched  hand. 
One  glance  at  his  face  showed  that  he  had  some- 
thing of  lively  interest  to  tell  me,  and  as  I  sat 
up  half  sleepily  in  bed  and  answered  his  query 
as  to  whether  I  felt  rested  or  any  the  worse  for 
the  night's  adventures,  I  could  see  plainly  that 


212  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

there  was  some  matter  that  worried  him,  and 
divined  quite  readily  that  he  wanted  to  speak 
with  me.  It  all  came  out  while  I  was  shaving 
and  dressing,  and,  dovetailed  with  what  was  al- 
ready known  to  Mr.  Parker  and  myself,  "  a  very 
pretty  quarrel"  as  it  stood  was  unfolded  to  my 
ears. 

It  seems  that  on  leaving  the  theatre  the  night 
previous,  Colonel  Summers  had  stepped  ahead 
of  Kitty  and  her  friend,  Lieutenant  Turpin,  and 
was  searching  for  me.  Seeing  nothing  of  me  in 
the  crowd  around  the  entrance,  he  looked  in  at 
one  or  two  resorts  along  Canal  Street,  thinking 
it  possible  that  he  might  meet  some  officers  who 
could  tell  him  of  Amory's  movements,  and  so 
enable  him  to  judge  of  mine.  Meantime,  Tur- 
pin and  Kitty  strolled  homeward,  arm  in  arm. 
On  reaching  the  Clay  statue,  Harrod  decided  to 
search  no  farther,  but  to  go  home,  feeling  sure 
that  if  anything  were  wrong  I  would  follow  him 
thither.  At  the  house  Pauline  met  him  with 
anxious  inquiry.  Had  he  seen  or  heard  any- 
thing of  Mr.  Amory?  Kitty  had  returned  ten 
or  fifteen  minutes  before ;  had  bidden  Mr.  Tur- 
pin a  very  abrupt  good-night,  and  excused  her- 
self on  the  plea  of  fatigue  and  headache;  and 
Pauline,  following  her  to  her  room,  found  her 
very  pale  and  nervous,  and  learned  from  her  that 
Amory  had  been  at  the  theatre,  looking  "  so 
strangely"  she  thought  he  was  ill ;  and,  as  they 


KITTTS  CONQUEST.  213 

came  down  the  street,  two  men  in  a  buggy  drove 
up  close  beside  them,  and  leaned  out  and  stared 
at  them.  She  was  utterly  upset  by  Amory's  ap- 
pearance, perhaps,  and  thinking  of  him,  did  not 
notice  this  performance  until  Mr.  Turpin  sud- 
denly dropped  her  arm  and  strode  fiercely  to- 
wards the  buggy,  as  though  to  demand  the 
meaning  of  the  conduct  of  its  occupants ;  where- 
upon they  had  whipped  up  and  dashed  off'  around 
the  first  corner;  and  one  of  them — though  his 
hat  and  coat-collar  concealed  his  face — one  of 
them  looked,  she  said,  strangely  like  !N"ed  Pey- 
ton. Pauline,  seeing  her  nervousness  and  fright, 
had  soothed  her  with  arguments  as  to  the  impos- 
sibility of  Peyton's  being  there;  but  she  very 
anxiously  spoke  of  the  matter  to  Harrod.  Then, 
after  we  had  made  our  midnight  visit,  Kitty,  in 
her  loose  wrapper,  white  as  a  sheet  and  trem- 
bling with  dread  and  excitement,  had  stolen  to 
Pauline's  room.  Her  own  window  overlooked 
the  balcony  and  the  street,  and  unable  to  sleep, 
as  she  told  Pauline,  she  was  lying  wide  awake, 
when  she  heard  rapid  hoof-beats  on  the  pave- 
ment coming  from  Canal  Street, — a  horse  at 
rapid  trot,  but  with  no  sound  of  wheels  in  com- 
pany, and  the  horse  halted  before  their  door. 
Unable  to  restrain  her  curiosity  or  anxiety,  she 
had  risen,  stolen  to  the  window,  and  peered  out 
through  the  slats  of  the  blind.  A  gas-lamp  threw 
its  light  upon  the  street  in  front,  and  there, 


214  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

plainly  illumined  by  its  glare,  sat  Frank  Amory 
in  the  saddle,  gazing  up  at  her  window.  She 
turned  instantly,  she  knew  not  why,  and  stepped 
back.  He  could  not  have  seen  her,  yet,  in  an- 
other moment,  rapidly  as  he  came,  he  rode  away, 
turned  to  the  left  at  the  corner,  and  she  heard 
his  hoof-beats  dying  away  in  the  direction  of 
Dauphin  Street.  That  was  all,  until  we  came, 
and  not  until  I  had  gone  had  she  courage  to 
creep  over  to  Pauline  and  tell  her  what  she  had 
seen. 

Early  in  the  morning  Harrod  had  gone  to 
headquarters;  found  Amory's  address,  and  on 
going  thither  was  told  by  a  soldier  that  the  lieu- 
tenant was  too  ill  to  see  anybody.  But,  on  send- 
ing up  his  name,  the  doctor  and  Mr.  Parker  came 
down,  and  from  them  he  learned  that  Amory 
had  a  sharp  attack  of  fever;  nothing  like  as 
serious  as  Vinton's,  and  one  that  would  soon 
yield  to  treatment,  provided  nothing  else  went 
wrong.  "  There  has  been  some  sore  trouble  or 
anxiety  which  has  been  telling  upon  Amory," 
said  the  doctor,  "  and  that  complicates  matters 
somewhat.  He  may  have  had  some  delirium  last 
night,  but  not  enough  to  cause  such  a  freak  as 
an  all-night  gallop.  In  fact,  Parker  has  con- 
fided to  me  that  Mr.  Brandon  and  himself  know 
something  of  the  matter,  and  that  they  mean  to 
have  a  talk  with  you." 

"And  that,"  said  Harrod,  "is  what  brought 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  215 

me  here  four  hours  ago,  though  I  had  the  grace 
not  to  disturb  you.  Now,  what  is  it  ?  What  do 
you  know  ?  Has  that  young  cub  Peyton  been  at 
the  bottom  of  this  ?" 

And  then  I  told  Harrod  the  story  of  our  night's 
adventures.  He  listened  at  first  with  composure ; 
but  when  it  came  to  the  description  of  the  two 
skulkers  at  Gaston's  and  the  conversation  I  had 
overheard,  he  rose  excitedly  and  began  pacing 
rapidly  up  and  down  the  room,  tugging  fiercely 
at  his  moustache.  Every  now  and  then  some 
muttered  anathema  fell  from  his  lips.  He  was 
evidently  powerfully  and  unpleasantly  moved, 
and  when  at  last  my  prolix  recital  was  brought 
to  an  end  with  the  discovery  of  Peyton,  and  our 
fruitless  chase,  Harrod  burst  out  into  genuine 
imprecation, — 

"  The  doubly  damned  young  scoundrel !"  he 
groaned.  "  Why,  Brandon,  I  believe  there  is 
no  cowardly  villainy  of  which  that  fellow  is  not 
capable.  I  ought  to  have  gone  with  you.  I  knew 
I  ought  to  have  gone." 

"Why  so?" 

"  Then  we  could  have  secured  him  by  this 
time.  It  is  too  late  now,  I  fear.  He  is  off  for 
Havana  or  Mexico." 

"But  what  good  would  that  have  done?  What 
could  we  prove?  What  would  you  want  him 
secured  for  now  that  we  have  Amory  safe  and 
warned  against  him  in  the  future  ?  You  would 


216  KITTY'S   CONqUEST. 

not  care  to  have  the  thing  made  public,  would 
you?" 

"  Not  if  that  were  all !  By  heaven  !  the  easiest 
solution  of  the  whole  thing  would  be  to  let  him 
try  to  trap  Amory  once  more,  and  let  Amory 
know  all  that — that  we  both  know." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  he  has  been  at  other  mis- 
chief than  this  mysterious  attempt  at  Amory  ?" 

"Yes.  We  thought  him  safely  out  of  the 
way, — in  Cuba.  He  was  there,  but  must  have 
come  directly  to  this  point  when  he  heard  of  the 
verdict  in  those  Ku-Klux  cases.  You  know  they 
acquitted  Smith.  No  jury  could  be  found  that 
dared  do  otherwise,  I  suppose,"  he  added 
gloomily. 

"  I  knew  that,  of  course ;  but  why  should  that 
bring  Peyton  here  ?" 

"  He  had  to  leave  Havana,  Brandon.  Don't 
you  remember  father's  anxiety  at  Sandbrook  be- 
fore we  came  away  ?  and  what  he  said  about  its 
perhaps  being  too  late  for  any  effort  on  his  part  ? 
I  was  to  have  told  you,  but  I  couldn't  bear  to  just 
yet.  Why,  that  damned  scoundrel  forged  father's 
signature  to  a  large  draft,  and  got  the  money 
there  where  the  bankers  knew  them  both.  It 
was  only  discovered  here  in  New  Orleans  when 
the  draft  came  to  the  Hibernia,  and  as  the  loss 
comes  on  these  old  correspondents  of  father's  in 
Havana,  he  feels  bound  to  see  them  reimbursed, 
for  he  cannot  bear  the  thought  of  disgrace  to  his 


KITTY'S   CJNqUESr.  217 

name  or  that  of  a  kinsman.  By  Peyton's  arrest 
we  might  secure  part  of  the  money.  That  is  all, 
for  he  has  taken  every  cent  father  had  in  the 
world." 

"  Then  the  sooner  we  get  to  the  chief  of  police 
and  acquaint  him  with  Peyton's  movements  and 
description  the  better  it  will  be,"  said  I,  who  felt 
no  scruples  whatever  against  bringing  master 
Ned  to  the  bar  of  justice. 

"  It's  too  late,  Brandon,  I'm  afraid.  He  saw 
Amory  yesterday  and  Kitty  last  night ;  he  knows 
by  this  time  we  are  here,  and  he  is  miles  away. 
Father  had  telegraphed  at  once  that  he  would 
refund  the  amount  of  Peyton's  forged  raise,  and 
so  suspended  pursuit  or  arrest.  Peyton  of  course 
has  heard  of  this  or  he  would  not  have  ventured 
hither  in  the  first  place ;  but  he  well  knows  that 
with  me  here  it  is  no  place  for  him.  We  will 
go,  of  course,  and  start  the  detectives,  but  I  fear 
we  have  lost  him.  Do  you  think  Amory  can  see 
us  this  evening  and  tell  us  what  he  knows  of 
this  affair  ?" 

"  We  must  see  him,  unless  the  doctor  prohibits 
it ;  but  come  first  to  the  City  Hall,"  said  I.  And 
as  we  rode  thither  in  a  street-car,  both  deeply 
engrossed  in  thought,  Harrod  turned  suddenly 
towards  me, — 

"Brandon,  this  is  the  most  extraordinary 
piece  of  cross-purposes  to  me.  For  three  weeks — 
for  a  month  past,  Frank  Amory  has  been  a  mys- 

K  19 


218  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

tery.  We  all  thought  him  growing  very  fond  of 
Kitty,  and  after  the  affair  on  the  Tennessee, 
where  he  was  hurt,  she  seemed  very  much  in- 
terested in  him.  Now  for  nearly  a  month  he 
has  avoided  her,  and  she  thinks  that — well,  she 
gave  me  a  message  for  him  the  night  we  started, 
which  virtually  begged  his  forgiveness  for  some- 
thing she  had  said  or  done  to  wound  him.  She 
would  never  have  sent  it  if  she  did  not  believe 
he  cared  for  her.  Of  course  I  have  never  de- 
livered it,  because  she  was  here  to  speak  for  her- 
self, and  told  me  not  to ;  but  he  has  treated  her 
with  something  like  aversion,  and  she  resents  it, 
and  now  she's  flirting  with  young  Turpin,  and 
then  there  will  be  more  trouble.  Great  heavens ! 
what  a  world  of  misunderstandings  it  is !"  And 
Harrod  laughed  despite  his  anxiety. 

Having  some  inkling  by  this  time  as  to  the 
secret  of  Amory's  hesitancy  and  strange  conduct 
towards  Batty,  I  told  Harrod  that  a  solution  of 
the  matter  had  occurred  to  me.  There  was  an 
explanation,  I  believed,  and  a  satisfactory  one, 
and  it  would  appear  very  shortly  I  thought.  This, 
in  profound  wisdom  and  some  mystery  of  man- 
ner, I  imparted  to  the  perplexed  colonel.  He 
gazed  at  me  in  bewilderment,  but  was  polite 
enough  to  press  the  matter  no  further. 

"  A  few  days  will  straighten  that  matter,"  said 
I.  "  We  will  see  when  he  is  well  enough  to  be 
about  again."  And  in  my  purblind  idiocy  I 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  219 

really  fancied  that  letter  of  mine  to  Bella  Gray- 
son  was  going  to  settle  everything. 

Our  visit  at  police  headquarters  was  brief  and 
not  particularly  satisfactory.  It  was  already  past 
steamer  time  for  both  Havana  and  Vera  Cruz. 
If  Peyton  were  "  wanted,"  a  telegram  to  the 
quarantine  station,  with  his  full  description,  might 
establish  whether  or  no  he  was  on  board ;  but 
there  were  no  officers  there  to  make  the  arrest, 
and  an  arrest  was  not  wanted  in  any  event, — it 
was  the  recovery  of  the  money.  If  he  had  not 
left  town  it  was  just  barely  possible  they  might 
nab  him ;  but  dozens  of  river  boats  left  New  Or- 
leans for  a  dozen  different  points  every  evening, 
and  there  were  hundreds  of  hiding-places  in  the 
city  itself.  He  would  try,  said  the  chief,  and  one 
or  two  solemn-looking  men  in  civilian's  dress 
came  in  at  his  call  and  listened  attentively  to  our 
description  of  Peyton  and  his  companion ;  but, 
one  and  all,  they  said  they  would  like  to  hear 
Lieutenant  Amory's  account  of  what  he  had  had 
to  do  with  the  pair.  So,  taking  one  of  the  de- 
tectives, we  drove  up  to  Amory's  lodging. 

The  doctor  was  there  and  came  down  to  meet 
us.  I  told  him  our  dilemma,  and  asked  it  it 
were  possible  to  hear  Amory's  story.  He  looked 
grave  for  a  moment,  and  considered  well  before 
answering. 

"You  might  see  him,  Mr.  Brandon,  if  that 
will  do.  I  would  much  rather  he  did  not  talk 


220  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

until  to-morrow,  but  if  there  be  an  emergency, 
why,  he  can  stand  it.  He  is  doing  well,  has  slept 
well  since  his  medicine  began  to  take  hold  this 
morning,  and  now  he's  awake  and  inclined  to  be 
fretful.  Something  worries  him,  and  perhaps  it 
may  be  a  benefit  to  see  you." 

So  Harrod  and  the  detective  waited,  while  I 
went  up  to  interview  Mars. 

Bless  the  boy's  face  !  It  brightened  so  at  sight 
of  me  that  I  felt  like  an  uncle  towards  him.  He 
was  very  pale,  rather  feeble,  but  eagerly  grasped 
my  hand  and  welcomed  me. 

"  Mr.  Brandon  has  come  to  see  you  on  busi- 
ness of  some  importance,  Mr.  Amory,"  said  the 
doctor,  "  and  you  can  talk  with  him,  but  talk  as 
little  as  possible.  "We  want  to  get  you  up  and 
ready  to  travel,  if  you  are  bound  to  go  North,  so 
quiet  will  be  necessary  for  a  day  or  two." 

With  that  he  vanished,  taking  the  nurse  with 
him.  Then  I  told  Amory  that  Parker  and  I  had 
been  in  search  of  him  late  at  night,  and  fearing 
he  was  taken  ill,  as  Vinton  had  been,  we  trailed 
him  out  to  the  shell  road,  and  there  came  upon 
Peyton  and  a  burly  stranger,  from  whose  con- 
versation we  found  they  were  lying  in  wait  for 
him.  The  moment  they  were  discovered  they 
drove  off  in  a  hurry.  Could  he  give  any  clue 
by  which  we  could  find  them?  Peyton  was 
"  wanted"  for  a  grave  crime. 

"  What  ?"  asked  Amory,  flushing,  and  excited. 


KITTrS  CONQUEST.  221 

"Forgery,"  I  answered.  "Now  let  me  be 
brief  as  possible,  Amory.  I  hate  to  excite  you 
at  such  a  time.  Have  you  any  idea  where  he  is 
to-day,  or  who  the  other  man  is  ?" 

"  None  whatever." 

"  Tell  me,  quietly  as  you  can,  how  you  came 
to  go  out  there  alone  on  horseback  last  night. 
Were  you  ill  then  ?" 

"  Not  so  ill  but  that  I  knew  what  I  was  about. 
I  had  had  some  fever  all  day,  probably,  and — • 
and  was  worried  about  something, — a  letter  from 
mother.  She  wants  me  to  come  North  at  once, 
and  I  would  have  gone  but  for  this.  Perhaps  it 
worked  on  me  a  good  deal.  It  was  late  when 
we  got  back  from  Jeffersonville.  I  wrote  a  note 
to  Parker,  and  left  it  at  headquarters,  and  went 
on  down-town,  hoping  to  see  Vinton,  and  in- 
tending to  dine  with  you  at  Moreau's.  I  did  not 
feel  well,  but  I  wanted  to  see  you.  Right  there 
by  the  City  Hotel  a  passing  cab  splashed  me 
with  mud,  and  I  turned  into  the  barber-shop  to 
have  it  rubbed  off.  Quite  a  number  of  men 
were  in  there,  talking  a  good  deal,  and  seemed 
to  have  been  drinking,  but  I  paid  no  particular 
attention  to  them,  until  just  as  I  was  leaving  one 

of  them  said, '  There's  the d  Yank  now, 

Peyton.  What  better  chance  do  you  want  ?'  Of 
course  I  turned  quickly  and  went  right  up  to  the 
fellow.  One  or  two  others  sprang  forward.  Some 
one  said, '  Shut  up,  you  fool !'  but  it  was  too  late. 

19* 


222  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

The  man  was  drunk,  probably,  and  having  put 
his  foot  in  it,  had  bravado  enough  not  to  back 
out  entirely.  He  was  in  one  of  the  chairs,  his 
face  covered  with  lather,  and  as  I  inquired  if  he 
referred  to  me,  he  replied,  with  drunken  gravity, 
that  his  friend,  Mr.  Peyton,  had  expressed  a  de- 
sire to  meet  me,  and  '  there  he  was.'  Sure  enough 
there  was  young  Peyton,  stepping  out  from  be- 
tween the  chairs  to  his  right,  his  face  black  as 
thunder.  I  was  mad  as  a  hornet,  of  course,  and 
never  stopped  to  think.  '  Are  you  responsible 
for  this  gentleman's  language  ?'  said  I.  *  Just  as 
you  please,'  said  he ;  and  with  that  I  struck  him 
full  under  the  jaw,  and  knocked  him  back  among 
the  shaving-cups  and  bottles.  Of  course  there 
was  a  terrible  row.  He  drew  his  pistol,  but  it 
was  yanked  out  of  his  hand  by  some  stranger. 
A  dozen  men  jumped  in  and  separated  us.  I 
didn't  know  one  of  them,  but  they  seemed  bent 
on  having  fair  play.  He  raved  about  satisfac- 
tion, and  I  said  any  time  and  any  place.  Then 
a  gentlemanly-speaking  fellow  suggested  that  the 
friends  or  seconds  meet  at  the  Cosmopolitan,  at 
ten  o'clock ;  that  would  give  plenty  of  time,  and 
obviate  any  trouble  there.  And  before  I  fully 
realized  the  situation  it  was  agreed  that  we  were 
to  settle  the  thing  according  to  the  code,  and 
our  friends  were  \o  meet  at  ten  o'clock.  "With 
that  he  was  led  off,  and  I  went  out  to  think  the 
matter  over.  Of  course  there  was  nothing  to  do 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  223 

but  fight.  I  had  knocked  him  down  and  was 
bound  to  give  him  satisfaction.  But  this  was  no 
cadet  fisticuff;  it  was  a  serious  matter,  and  I 
needed  a  friend.  Of  course  it  ought  to  be  an 
officer,  and  now  that  Vinton  was  ill,  I  had  no 
one  with  whom  to  advise.  I  went  down  to  the 
depot  to  find  Turpin.  He  was  a  classmate,  and 
the  very  fellow  to  back  me ;  but  Turpin  wasn't 
there.  I  went  to  Moreau's  in  search  of  him, 
and — well,  he  was  bus}%  and  I  couldn't  ask  him. 
Then  I  went  up  to  headquarters  for  Parker.  He 
was  years  ahead  of  me  at  the  Point,  but  I  knew 
he  would  see  me  through ;  but  Parker  was  out. 
He  lived  way  up-town,  and  when  I  got  there 
they  told  me  he  had  gone  to  the  theatre.  Thai 
is  what  brought  me  to  the  Varieties.  It  was  get- 
ting late,  and  I  had  nobody  to  act  for  me.  All 
those  infantry  fellows  were  strangers,  and  at  ten 
o'clock  I  had  to  go  to  the  Cosmopolitan  myself. 
Not  a  soul  was  there  whom  I  knew,  though  one 
or  two  men  dropped  in  who  looked  curiously  at 
me,  and  whom  I  thought  I  had  seen  during  the 
row. 

"  It  was  nearly  eleven  o'clock,  and  I  was  well- 
nigh  crazy  with  excitement  and  nervousness, 
fearing  that  I  had  made  some  mistake,  and  they 
could  say  I  shirked  the  meeting.  But  just  about 
eleven  a  man  came  in,  who  looked  closely  at  me, 
said  'Captain  Amory?'  and  handed  me  a  note. 
There's  the  note,  Mr.  Brandon ;  read  it." 


£24  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

Read  it  I  did.    It  was  as  follows : 

"LIEUTENANT   F.  AMORT,  U.S.A.  : 

"SiR, — In  some  way  for  which  we  find  it  impossible  to  ac- 
count, the  authorities  have  got  wind  of  our  affair,  and  threat- 
ened me  with  arrest ;  but  I  learn  from  a  friend  that  you  are 
at  the  Cosmopolitan  unattended.  The  gentlemen  who  were 
present  at  the  time  of  your  outrageous  affront  this  afternoon 
were  total  strangers  to  me,  with  one  exception,  but  I  cannot 
believe  that  they  have  betrayed  me  to  the  police. 

"  As  an  officer  you  must  be  aware  that  there  can  be  only 
one  reparation  for  a  blow,  and,  if  a  gentleman,  you  cannot 
refuse  it.  You  said  you  would  meet  me  any  time  and  any 
place,  and  I  hold  you  to  your  word.  I  demand  instant  satis- 
faction, before  the  police  can  interfere,  and  there  is  one  place 
where,  if  alone,  we  can  be  sure  of  quiet.  That  is  a  shooting- 
and  fencing-gallery  on  the  shell  road,  where  there  is  a  room 
where  gentlemen  can  settle  such  affairs  with  swords,  and 
where  every  attention  is  paid  and  inviolable  secrecy  observed. 

"  Leaving  my  friend  here  with  the  policeman  who  is 
watching  our  rooms,  I  shall  slip  out  by  the  back  way  and  go 
out  on  horseback.  If  you  are  a  man  of  honor  you  will  follow. 
Keep  on  out  Canal  Street  to  the  end,  cross  the  canal  on  the 
bridge,  and  then  turn  to  the  south.  I  will  watch  for  your 
horse  and  conduct  you  to  the  spot.  The  bearer  of  this  will 
bring  a  verbal  answer,  all  that  is  necessary.  Keminding  you 
once  more  of  the  outrage  you  have  committed  upon  a  gentle- 
man, and  of  your  promise  to  render  full  satisfaction  at  such 
time  and  place  as  I  should  demand,  I  am,  with  due  respect, 
"Yours,  etc., 

"EDWARD  HARROD  PETTON." 

I  read  it  through  twice  before  speaking,  Amory 
narrowly  watching  my  face. 

"  And  do  you  mean  to  tell  me,  Frank  Amory, 
that  you  could  be  led  into  a  snare  by  such  a 


KITTPS   CONqUEST.  225 

transparent  piece  of  rascality  as  that  ?"  I  asked 
at  last. 

"  How  should  I  know  ?"  said  Amory,  flushing. 
"  The  letter  reads  straight  enough.  The  barbers 
or  somebody  might  have  told  the  police,  and  I 
knew  only  that  Mr.  Peyton  was  a  relative  of 
gentlemen  and  supposed  him  to  be  a  gentleman. 
Of  course  I  went." 

"  All  the  young  scoundrel  wanted  was  to  get 
you  there  alone  and  unarmed,  and  then  turn  you 
over  to  that  great  bully  he  had  for  a  terrible 
beating.  He  would  never  dare  fight  you  fairly. 
This  thing  is  a  fraud  on  its  face ;  no  Southern 
gentleman  would  ask  such  a  thing  of  a  stranger 
as  a  midnight  meeting  without  seconds  in  an  un- 
known spot.  Why,  Amory,  it  is  absurd,  and  as 
I  tell  you,  and  as  their  talk  proved,  he  only  wanted 
to  lure  you  there  and  see  you  brutally  pounded 
and  mutilated.  The  scoundrel  knew  he  must 
leave  town  at  once,  and,  hating  you,  he  wanted 
this  low  revenge  first." 

"  Why  should  he  hate  me  ?"  asked  Amory. 

"  Because  of  your  fight  with  those  villains  of 
Hank  Smith's  last  December,  for  one  thing.  He 
was  hand  in  glove  with  them  all.  Because  of — 
well,  another  reason  occurs  to  me  that  need  not 
be  spoken  of  just  now.  I  ought  not  to  let  you 
talk  so  much  as  it  is.  Tell  me  one  thing,  how- 
ever. You  are  anxious  to  go  North,  the  doctor 
says.  Can  I  serve  you  in  any  way  ?" 


226  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

Amory  hesitated.  "  Mother  is  very  anxious 
that  I  should  come,  if  possible,"  he  faltered ;  "  and 
she  is  right.  There — there  are  reasons  why  I 
ought  to  go  and  settle  a  matter  that  has  given 
me  much  distress.  I  told  her  of  it,  and  she 
writes  that  only  one  course  is  open  to  me." 
And  the  deep  dejection  and  trouble  in  his  face 
upset  me  completely. 

"  Youngster,"  said  I,  impulsively.  "  Forgive 
me  if  I  appear  to  intrude  in  your  affairs,  but  you 
have  become  very  near  to  me,  if  you  know  what 
I  mean,  in  the  last  few  months.  "We  have  learned 
to  regard  you  as  something  more  than  a  friend, 
the  Summers'  and  I,  and  lately  it  seems  to  me 
that  an  inkling  of  your  trouble  has  been  made 
known  to  me  (who  would  have  said,  '  I  have  been 
prying  into  your  affairs?') — and — Frank,  don't 
worry  if  it  is  about  Bella  Grayson.  She  is  my 
own  niece, — you  may  not  know, — and  I  had  a 
letter  from  her  the  other  day." 

Amory  almost  started  up  in  bed  (capital 
nurse  Mr.  G.  S.  Brandon  would  make  for  a  fever 
patient  ordinarily,  you  are  probably  thinking), 
but  though  his  eyes  were  full  of  eager  inquiry 
and  astonishment,  he  choked  back  the  question 
that  seemed  to  rise  to  his  lips  and  simply  stared 
at  me,  then  with  flushing  cheeks  ..turned  quicklv 
away. 

"  I  cannot  explain  just  now ;  try  and  be  content 
with  what  I  tell  you  for  a  day  or  two,"  I  went 


KITTFS  CONQUEST.  227 

on.  "  You  can  hear  more  when  you  are  better. 
One  thing  I  want  to  ask  you  for  the  benefit  of  the 
detectives  who  are  looking  for  Peyton.  How  do 
you  suppose  you  were  so  fortunate  as  to  escape 
missing  him  and  the  other  blackguard?  We 
found  them  just  below  the  bridge  to  the  right." 

"  I  don't  know,"  was  the  weary  reply.  "  Things 
were  all  in  a  whirl  after  I  got  that  note.  I  re- 
member telling  that  fellow  to  say  that  I  would  be 
there  without  fail.  Then  it  took  some  time  to 
hurry  up  here  and  get  my  horse,  and  to  write  a 
line  to  mother ;  then  I  did  not  go  straight  out 
Canal  Street.  There  were  one  or  two  things  that 
had  to  be  done ;  but  I  rode  like  the  devil  to  get 
there,  and  there  wasn't  a  soul  that  I  could  see 
anywhere  around  the  far  end  of  the  bridge." 

"But  didn't  you  go  down  towards  the  lake, — 
to  the  right  hand,  I  mean  ?" 

"  To  the  right  ?  No,  of  course  not,"  said 
Amory.  "  He  said  to  the  south ;  look  at  the  note 
again  and  you'll  find  it;  and  I  had  that  little 
compass  there  on  my  watch-chain.  South  was 
to  the  left,  man,  and, — why,  it  seems  to  me  I 
rode  all  night;  found  myself  in  town  and  rode 
back  to  the  swamps ;  then  gave  it  up  and  came 
home  somehow;  I  don't  know.  It  was  all  a 
blur." 

Then,  fortunately,  the  doctor  came  back,  and, 
with  one  glance  at  Amory's  face,  motioned  to  me 
that  enough  or  more  than  enough  had  been  said. 


228  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

I  bent  over  Amory  and  said,  with  the  best  inten- 
tions in  the  world  of  being  reassuring,  "  Re- 
member, do  not  fret  about  going  North  or  about 
anything  else  of  that  kind ;  that  is  coming  out 
all  right."  And  with  the  profound  conviction 
that  it  was  coming  out  all  right  through  his  min- 
istration, the  recorder  of  this  curious  tangle  took 
his  leave. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

Two  days  elapsed  and  Frank  Amory  failed  to 
get  better  with  the  rapidity  so  slight  an  attack 
of  fever  should  have  permitted ;  and  when  it  is 
considered  that  my  language  had  been,  or  ought 
to  have  heen,  very  reassuring  as  regarded  his 
other  troubles,  there  seemed  to  me  small  warrant 
for  the  doctor's  ascribing  his  slow  rally  to  mental 
perturbations.  It  was  beginning  to  dawn  upon 
me  that  the  doctor  looked  upon  me  as  something 
of  a  sick-room  nuisance  ever  since  my  interview 
with  his  patient  about  Peyton,  and  that  only  his 
politeness  prevented  his  saying  that  that  inter- 
view had  been  a  decided  set-back.  At  all  events, 
two  days  passed  without  my  again  seeing  Mars. 
He  was  sleeping  when  I  called,  or  had  had  a  rest- 
less night,  and  was  not  to  be  disturbed.  Yet 
Parker  saw  him  twice,  and  brought  favor- 
able accounts;  he  seemed  to  have  the  luck  of 
getting  around  at  times  when  Amory  was  awake, 
and,  being  a  cavalryman  himself,  the  aide-de- 
camp had  taken  charge  of  the  troop  and  was 
able  to  bear  Amory  daily  bulletins  of  its  well- 
doing. Yinton  was  rapidly  improving  and  able 
to  sit  up  a  few  moments  each  day.  Pauline  was 

20  229 


230  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

radiant  with  Lope  and  love  ;  and  Kitty — whom 
I  had  not  seen  for  nearly  two  days,  when  we  met 
again  at  Moreau's — Kitty  once  more  looked  pale, 
anxious,  and  wistful ;  I  saw  it  the  instant  her 
eyes  met  mine. 

Harrod  told  me  that  he  had  seen  fit  to  say 
nothing  to  her  of  Peyton's  latest  escapade.  It 
would  not  help  matters  at  all  and  could  only 
cause  her  distress.  Pauline  had  been  told  in 
confidence,  and  he  himself  had  written  full  par- 
ticulars to  the  judge.  The  police  had  made  no 
arrests  or  discoveries ;  but  twice  I  had  received 
visits  from  members  of  the  detective  force  ask- 
ing for  further  description  of  the  burly  man  who 
was  with  Peyton  the  night  of  the  chase.  The 
younger  man,  they  seemed  to  think,  had  got 
away  to  Texas,  but  for  some  reason  they  seemed 
hopeful  of  catching  the  other  party,  who  was 
apparently  "  wanted"  for  something  for  which 
he  could  properly  be  held. 

It  was  two  nights  after  the  theatre  party,  and 
once  again  we  were  dining  at  Moreau's;  this 
time  reinforced  by  Pauline  and  by  Major  Wil- 
liams. It  was  a  lovely  evening  in  the  early 
spring.  Already  the  breezes  from  the  South 
were  freighted  with  the  faint,  sweet  fragrance 
of  the  orange-blossoms;  windows  were  thrown 
open,  and  four  of  us  at  least  were  placidly  en- 
joying the  spirited  scene  on  the  street  below. 
Pauline  and  the  major  were  in  the  midst  of  a 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  231 

pleasant  chat;  Harrod  and  I  dreamily  puffing 
at  our  cigars;  and  over  on  the  sofa  Kitty  and 
her  now  absolutely  enslaved  Turpin  were  oblivi- 
ous to  all  other  objects.  He,  poor  fellow,  was 
bending  towards  her,  his  whole  soul  in  his  eyes, 
his  whole  heart  on  his  lips;  speaking  in  low 
tones,  eagerly,  impetuously.  She,  with  feverish 
flush  on  her  soft  cheeks,  her  eyes  veiled  by  their 
white  lids  and  fringed  with  their  sweeping  lashes, 
was  nervously  toying  with  her  gloves,  yet  listen- 
ing, painfully  listening.  Harrod  studied  them 
an  instant,  then  looked  significantly  at  me. 

"  It  is  too  bad,"  he  said,  with  a  shrug  of  his 
shoulders.  "I  suppose  you  see  poor  Turpin's 
woe?" 

I  nodded.  It  was  hard  for  the  boy,  and  Kitty 
was  by  no  means  blameless,  but  just  now  her 
conduct  was  the  source  of  absolute  comfort  to 
ine.  In  my  fondness  for  Amory  I  was  glad  to 
see  that  now  that  it  came  to  actual  love-making, 
— now  that  Turpin  was  undoubtedly  enmeshed 
and  fluttering  in  her  toils,  the  little  coquette  was 
distressed  by  his  vehemence.  She  was  thinking 
of  another,  and  my  hopes  for  my  own  young 
knight  were  high.  There  could  be  no  doubt  of 
the  situation,  for  had  we  not  gathered  in  honor 
of  the  major  and  his  gallant  young  adjutant? 
Were  we  not  there  to  break  bread  once  more 
before  parting, — to  wish  them  bon  voyage  with 
our  stirrup-cups  ?  Their  orders  had  come.  Quiet 


232  KITTY1  S  CONqUEST. 

restored  to  the  Crescent  City,  Major  Williains's 
little  battalion  was  to  return  forthwith  to  their 
station  in  Kentucky.  They  were  to  start  that 
night,  and  Turpin  was  facing  his  fate. 

It  was  soon  time  to  walk  down  "  homeward," 
as  we  had  learned  to  think  of  Newhall's  rooms 
on  Royal  Street.  Harrod  and  I  led  the  way. 
Major  Williams  followed,  escorting  Pauline. 
Kitty  and  Turpin  silently  took  their  places  in  the 
rear,  and  before  we  had  gone  three  squares  they 
were  out  of  sight  behind.  At  the  steps  the  major 
said  his  farewells,  with  many  a  hope  that  we 
might  all  meet  again  in  our  wanderings.  "  Say 
good-by  to  Miss  Carrington  for  me,"  he  added, 
with  a  smile  half  sad,  half  mischievous.  "I  fear 
poor  Turpin  leaves  his  heart  here.  Tell  him  for 
me  to  take  his  time;  he  won't  be  needed  for  an 
hour  yet."  And  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  the 
soldierly  fellow  strode  down  the  street. 

Then,  even  as  we  stood  there,  Turpin  and 
Kitty  arrived.  With  her  first  glance  at  them 
Pauline's  sympathetic  heart  seemed  to  realize 
the  situation.  She  signalled  to  us  to  follow  her, 
and  entered  at  once.  Unaccustomed  as  ever  to 
the  interpretation  of  feminine  signals,  I  blunder- 
ingly stayed  where  I  was,  and  Harrod  hovered 
irresolutely  in  the  doorway. 

"Won't  you  come  in?"  we  heard  her  say 
timidly,  almost  pleadingly,  as  she  held  out  her 
little  hand. 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  233 

"  No,  thank  you,  not  this  time ;  I  must  catch 
Williams.  Say  good-by  for  me,  please."  He 
grasped  her  hand,  and  seemed  to  wring  it  hard 
an  instant,  then,  pulling  his  cap  down  over  his 
eyes,  dashed  away. 

Kitty  stood  one  moment  looking  sorrowfully 
after  him,  then  slowly  passed  us,  and  went  in 
without  a  word.  She  did  not  appear  again  that 
evening  so  long  as  I  was  there. 

Early  next  morning  a  note  reached  me  from 
Harrod.  A  telegram  had  just  reached  him  from 
Sandbrook.  "  Father  says  he  will  be  here  to- 
morrow. Mrs.  ^mory — Frank's  mother — coming 
on  same  train."  And,  leaving  everything  undone 
that  I  ought  to  have  done  at  the  office,  I  hastened 
up  to  Amory's  lodgings  to  see  what  that  might 
mean.  He  was  sitting  up,  partially  dressed,  and 
would  be  glad  to  see  me,  said  the  orderly ;  and, 
stumbling  up  the  stairs,  I  was  shown  to  his  room. 

Very  pale  and  rather  thin  looked  our  Mars, 
but  his  face  was  brighter  and  his  eyes  far  clearer. 
He  was  far  from  strong,  however,  and  apologized 
for  not  rising,  as  he  held  out  his  hand. 

"Mother  is  coming,"  were  almost  his  first 
words. 

"  So  I  heard.  Judge  Summers  telegraphed 
Colonel  Harrod  that  he  would  be  here  to-mor- 
row,— at  noon,  I  suppose, — and  that  Mrs.  Amory 
was  on  the  train.  What  a  very  pleasant  surprise 
for  all!" 

20* 


234  KITTYS  CONQUEST. 

"  Yes.  "When  she  heard  from  me  how  ill 
Vinton  was,  and  that  I  could  not  get  away,  the 
little  mother  must  have  made  up  her  mind  to 
come  to  me.  It  is  a  surprise,  yet  a  very  glad  one. 
Where  can  we  put  her?  This  house  is  no  place, 
and  yet,  it  may  be  two  or  three  days  before  I  can 
get  out,  and  I  hate  to  have  her  alone  at  the  St. 
Charles." 

"  Why  not  with  the  Summers'  at  Colonel  New- 
hall's  place  ?  There  are  one  or  two  rooms  va- 
cant, and  the  landlady  seems  very  pleasant." 

Mars  flushed  to  the  temples. 

"  I  think  not,"  he  said,  hesitatingly.  "  It — it's 
too  far  away.  She  would  rather  be  up  here  with 
me,  or  near  me.  She  wants  so  much  to  know 
Vinton,  too, — has  such  an  admiration  for  him; 
but  she  could  not  see  him  just  now,  I  suppose. 
How  is  he  to-day  ?" 

"  Very  much  better  last  night.  So  much  so 
that  Miss  Summers  went  over  and  dined  with  us 
at  Moreau's, — a  little  dinner  to  Major  Williams 
and  Turpin,  you  know,"  said  I,  soothingly,  and 
with  calm  note  of  the  twinge  which  seemed  to 
shoot  over  Amory's  features  at  the  mention  of  the 
party.  "  They  went  back  to  Kentucky  last  night, 
I  suppose  you  know,"  I  added. 

"  They  ?  No,  I  didn't !"  said  Mars,  with  sud- 
den animation.  "  I  wanted  to  see  Turpin,  too. 
He  was  here  twice,  but  they  said  I  wasn't  well 
enough,  or  something,  and  he  went  away.  Did 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  235 

he  go  back  with  the  battalion  ?"  he  inquired, 
eagerly. 

"  Certainly.  He  came  around  to  say  good-by 
last  evening." 

Mars  settled  back  in  his  chair  with  an  expres- 
sion of  absolute  relief. 

Now,  thought  I,  is  the  time  to  have  a  few 
words  about  Bella  Grayson.  It  was  just  about 
time  to  look  for  the  coming  of  her  reply  to  my 
diplomatic  letter,  and  very  positively  did  I  want 
to  know  just  how  matters  stood  between  her 
and  my  cavalryman.  Meddling  old  Polonius 
that  I  was,  it  seemed  to  me  perfectly  right  and 
natural  that  Mars  should  reciprocate  my  warm 
interest  in  him,  that  he  should  want  to  tell 
me  about  Bella,  and  that  the  fact  of  my  rela- 
tionship to  her  should  give  me  an  added  lustre 
in  his  eyes.  This  last,  perhaps,  was  realized. 
He  was  more  inclined  to  be  very  courteous  and 
semi-confidential  in  his  tone,  yet  he  was  not  at 
ease. 

It  was  at  the  tip  of  my  tongue  to  make  some 
genial,  off-hand,  matter-of-fact  inquiry,  such  as 
"  Heard  from  Bella,  lately  ?"  by  way  of  putting 
him  entirely  out  of  all  embarrassment,  when, 
fortunately,  the  orderly  entered,  saying  a  gentle- 
man asked  to  speak  a  moment  with  Mr.  Brandon. 
Going  out  in  some  surprise  to  the  landing,  Mr. 
Brandon  there  encountered  one  of  the  detectives 
whom  he  had  recently  learned  to  know. 


236  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

"  Can  you  come  down  to  the  office,  sir  ?  We 
have  one  of  your  birds,  if  not  both,"  was  the 
extent  of  his  communication.  And  dropping 
Amory ;  forgetting  Bella ;  I  went. 


CHAPTER  XYL 

AN  hour  later,  both  Harrod  Summers  and  my- 
self were  curiously  inspecting  a  pair  of  inebri- 
ated bipeds  at  the  police  station.  Both  were 
stolidly  drunk,  and  were  plunged  in  the  heavy 
sleep  that  resulted  from  their  excessive  potations. 
One,  the  younger,  was  a  tolerably  well-dressed 
youth  not  absolutely  unlike  Peyton ;  but  all  the 
same  a  total  stranger.  Neither  of  us  had  ever 
seen  him  before.  But  his  companion — was  Hank 
Smith. 

The  two  had  been  guilty  of  some  drunken 
turbulence  in  a  down-town  saloon,  said  one  of 
the  police-officers,  and  had  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  "  force."  In  the  course  of  a  wordy  alter- 
cation between  them  a  detective  had  dropped  in, 
and,  after  a  few  moments'  apparently  indifferent 
lounging  and  listening,  had  suddenly  gone  in 
search  of  a  comrade,  meantime  bidding  the  offi- 
cer keep  his  eye  on  them.  They  were  still  drink- 
ing and  squabbling  when  the  detective  returned. 
Smith  was  demanding  payment  of  money  which 
the  other  protested  he  had  never  received,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  the  lie  was  given  and 
a  scuffle  ensued.  This  was  sufficient  to  enable 

237 


238  KITTFS   CONqUEST. 

the  officers  to  arrest  them  as  drunk  and  disor- 
derly, and  then  to  notify  us.  That  Peyton  was 
in  some  way  connected  with  the  sudden  appear- 
ance of  Hank  Smith  in  the  Crescent  City  neither 
of  us  could  doubt  for  a  minute,  as  Peyton's  name, 
with  many  blasphemous  qualifications,  had  been 
frequently  mentioned  in  their  altercation.  It 
would  be  some  hours  before  they  could  be  in 
condition  to  account  for  themselves  and  their 
motives;  meantime  the  colonel  and  I  were  de- 
voured with  impatience  and  curiosity.  The  po- 
lice supposed  that  they  had  the  big  ruffian  of  our 
night  adventure  in  the  person  of  Smith,  but  he 
was  not  the  man.  His  presence  only  added  to 
the  mystery.  For  several  weeks  after  his  trial 
at  Jackson  he  had  disappeared  from  our  view  and 
we  had  heard  nothing  of  his  movements.  Now, 
what  could  have  brought  him  here,  and  what 
connection  had  his  wanderings  with  Peyton's  ? 
I  vainly  puzzled  over  this  problem  while  study- 
ing the  flushed  and  sodden  features  of  this  arch- 
reprobate.  Harrod  went  down  home  again  to 
tell  Yinton  of  the  important  capture.  I  had  to 
go  to  the  office  at  noon,  but  late  in  the  day  we 
were  again  at  the  station,  and  now,  still  bewil- 
dered and  surly,  but  somewhat  freshened  by  lib- 
eral applications  of  cold  water  from  the  pump, 
the  ex-leader  of  the  Tishomingo  Ku-Klux  was 
sitting  up  and  chewing  the  cud  of  melancholy 
retrospect  in  place  of  the  accustomed  solace  of 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  239 

"  navy  plug."  Very  ugly  and  ill  at  ease  looked 
Hank  as  the  colonel  quietly  accosted  him.  He 
knew  us  both  at  once  and  seemed  not  at  all  sur- 
prised at  our  presence. 

Our  only  object  in  intruding  upon  his  valu- 
able time  and  his  placid  meditations  being  to 
find  out  what  had  become  of  Peyton,  the  ques- 
tion arose  beforehand,  who  should  question  him  ? 
Supposing  that  he  would  be  disposed  to  conceal 
everything  he  might  know,  we  had  been  plan- 
ning what  course  to  pursue ;  but  his  first  remark 
put  an  end  to  our  uncertainty. 

"  I'm  as  well  as  a  man  can  be  who's  just  over 
a  drunk  and  can't  get  a  cocktail,"  he  growled. 
"  Have  you  come  to  pay  me  that  money  for 
Cap.  Peyton  ?"  And  his  bloodshot  eyes  gleamed, 
fiercely  up  at  Harrod's  calm  features. 

"  How  much  do  you  claim,  Smith  ?"  was  the 
evasive  query. 

"  He  knows  d — d  well.  It's  a  round  five  hun- 
dred dollars,  and  I'll  foller  him  to  Mexico  but 
that  I'll  get  it  out  of  him,  if  you  don't  pay 
it." 

"  Why  did  you  not  make  him  pay  you  yester- 
day?" 

"  Yesterday  ?"  said  Hank,  starting  to  his  feet. 
"  He  ain't  got  back,  has  he  ?  If  he's  lied  to 

me  again,  I'll Say,  is  he  back  ?"  he  asked, 

eagerly. 

"  I  have  not  seen  him  yet,"  answered  Harrod, 


240  KITTrS  CONQUEST. 

"  and  I  do  not  wish  to  see  him.  I  want  you  to 
warn  him  never  to  show  his  face  among  us  again. 
Now,  supposing  you  are  released  to-night,  how 
soon  can  you  find  him  ?" 

"  Find  him  ?  The  young  whelp !  He's  tricked 
me.  He's  gone  to  Mexico,  d — n  him !  I  came 
here  two  days  ago  to  meet  him  as  agreed.  He 
was  to  pay  me  the  money  then,  and  said  you  was 
here  to  get  it  for  him;  and  then,  when  I  got  here, 
he  left  word  that  he  was  in  a  scrape,  and  had  to 
light  out  for  Texas  right  away,  and  never  said 
another  word  about  the  money,  except  that  I 
mignt  apply  to  him  there  for  it  ('him  there' 
being  the  bedraggled-looking  youth  sitting  up 
now  on  his  wooden  bench  and  staring  stupidly 
about  him),  and — and  this  is  what  came  of  it,  by 
God !  The  money's  mine,  colonel,  and  I  earned 
it  fairly  that  last  scrape  he  was  in.  He  swore 
he'd  pay  me  if  we'd  help  him  out.  They'd  have 
jailed  him  sure  at  Holly  Springs  if  we  hadn't 
stood  by  him.  It  took  some  of  the  hardest  swear- 
ing you  ever  listened  to  to  turn  that  marshal  off 
his  track."  And  Hank's  face  was  woe-begone 
as  this  touching  reminiscence  occurred  to  him. 

"And  that  was  the  service  your  people  ren- 
dered him,  was  it?  You  could  have  rendered 
his  people  a  much  better  one  by  telling  the  truth 
and  'jailing  him,'  as  you  say.  What  had  he 
been  doing  to  set  the  marshal  on  his  track  ?" 

Hank  looked   suspiciously  at  me  a  moment. 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  241 

He  was  apparently  ready  to  make  a  clean  breast 
of  matters  to  Harrod,  but  I  was  one  of  a  class 
he  regarded  with  distrust.  Seeing  this,  Harrod 
glanced  significantly  at  me,  and  I  withdrew, 
leaving  them  to  work  out  their  own  conclu- 
sions. 

Strolling  up  to  headquarters  and  thence  over 
to  Amory's,  I  found  him  sleeping  quietly  and 
Parker  reading  the  newspapers  at  his  bedside. 
An  enlivening  conversation  was  not  to  be  looked 
for  in  that  quarter  therefore,  and  on  my  speak- 
ing to  Parker  about  a  room  for  Mrs.  Amory, 
who  was  to  arrive  on  the  following  day,  he  re- 
plied that  he  had  already  secured  one  close  at 
hand.  This  again  left  me  with  nothing  especial 
to  do,  and  in  my  loneliness  and  lack  of  occu- 
pation I  went  down  to  Royal  Street,  and  came 
luckily  upon  a  cheerful  gathering  at  NewhalFs, 
as  we  had  learned  to  speak  of  the  house  wherein 
our  Sandbrook  party  were  quartered. 

It  was  a  still,  balmy  evening,  and  Yinton's 
sofa  had  been  trundled  into  the  sitting-room. 
He  lay  there  looking  rather  gaunt  and  white, 
but  unutterably  happy,  for  in  a  low  chair  by  his 
side  Miss  Summers  was  seated,  and  she  had  evi- 
dently been  reading  aloud  before  my  entrance, 
for  a  little  blue-and-gold  volume  of  Tennyson 
lay  in  her  lap.  Harrod  and  Kitty  were  seated 
at  the  centre-table  near  them,  and  rose  to  greet 
me  as  I  entered,  but  the  moment  she  had  given 

L          q  21 


242  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

me  her  little  hand,  with  a  rather  embarrassed 
greeting,  and  I  went  forward  to  Viriton's  sofa, 
Miss  Kitty  dropped  back  to  the  dim  light  of  a 
distant  corner.  I  had  barely  time  to  congratu- 
late the  major  on  his  convalescence  when  he  in- 
quired eagerly  for  Amory. 

"  I  have  just  come  from  him,"  I  answered. 
"  He  was  sleeping  quietly,  and  Mr.  Parker  was 
there  with  him.  He  will  be  all  right  now  in  a 
day  or  two.  Mrs.  Amory  will  be  here  to-mor- 
row, as  you  doubtless  know,  and  Parker  has 

taken  a  room  for  her  at  Madame  R 's,  close 

to  headquarters." 

For  some  moments  we  four  sat  there  talking 
quietly  about  her  coming  and  its  probable  benefit 
to  Amory's  health,  which  certainly  had  been  suf- 
fering of  late.  Kitty  still  sat  in  her  corner,  ap- 
parently occupied  with  a  magazine,  though  it 
was  too  dark  to  read  at  that  distance  from  the 
lamp.  Vinton,  of  course,  was  eager  to  hear  all 
the  particulars  of  the  recent  excitements,  how- 
ever, and  after  a  few  moments  he  asked  to  be 
fully  informed. 

"Yes,  Brandon, tell  him  the  whole  thing.  Do 
not  spare  Peyton.  Do  not  imagine  that  it  will 
shock  Pauline,  for  I  have  told  her  all  about  it. 
Indeed,  I  may  as  well  take  the  lead,"  said  Har- 
rod,  "  and  give  you  briefly  what  Smith  confessed 
to  me  to-day.  It  was  Peyton  who  planned  and 
led  that  ambuscade  on  Amory's  command.  Ha 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  243 

ordered  his  party  to  try  and  pick  off  Amory 
himself,  and  but  for  the  darkness  they  probably 
would  have  killed  him.  The  fellow  is  a  scoun- 
drel throughout,  and  I'm  almost  sorry  he  has 
escaped  now.  Smith  says  he  has  undoubtedly 
gone  to  Mexico,  and  most  of  the  money  with 
him.  Now,  Brandon,  tell  us  your  story." 

There  was  a  rustle  of  skirts  at  the  other  end 
of  the  room.  Pauline  glanced  wistfully  over  to 
Kitty's  corner,  and  I  could  not  help  looking 
thither  myself.  Without  a  word  the  little  lady 
had  risen  and  left  the  room. 

Pauline  rose  hurriedly.  "I  must  go  to  Kitty," 
she  said.  "  She  has  been  very  much  distressed 
about  all  this  trouble  of  late,  and  she  will  worry 
herself  to  death."  With  that  she,  too,  was  gone; 
and  Mr.  Brandon,  bereft  of  his  feminine  audi- 
ence, told  his  story  with  far  less  interest  and  en- 
joyment than  he  would  otherwise  have  felt. 
Vinton  was  deeply  interested,  however,  and 
greatly  concerned  over  Amory's  adventure.  It 
was  some  time  before  Miss  Summers'  return, 
and  then  she  brought  Kitty's  excuses.  The  latter 
had  been  persuaded  finally  to  go  to  bed.  for  she 
was  shocked  inexpressibly  at  hearing  that  Peyton 
had  really  had  the  hardihood  to  carry  out  the 
threat  of  that  memorable  day  at  Sandbrook. 
"And  more  than  that,  she  is  convinced  that 
Peyton  has  been  striving  to  harm  Mr.  Amory 
here  in  New  Orleans,  and  I  had  to  promise  that 


244  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

she  should  know  the  whole  truth.  Is  it  so,  Mr. 
Brandon  ?" 

And  once  more  Mr.  Brandon  had  the  gratifi- 
cation of  relating  that  episode,  and  before  an- 
other day  poor  Kitty  was  in  possession  of  all  the 
facts. 

And  yet  when  I  met  her  the  following  after- 
noon her  eyes  were  bright;  her  color  height- 
ened; her  manner  animated  and  almost  gay. 
"  So  glad  uncle  was  coming,"  was  her  explana- 
tion, and  yet — she  did  not  care  to  go  to  the  sta- 
tion with  Harrod,  Pauline,  and  myself  to  meet 
uncle.  This  struck  me  as  strange,  and  I  ven- 
tured to  urge  her  to  accompany  us. 

"  Oh,  no !  the  carriage  only  holds  four,"  was 
her  reply. 

"But  you  will  make  the  fourth,  and  you  know 
I'm  not  coming  back.  I'm  going  to  drive  Mrs. 
Amory  up  to  see  her  boy  at  once.  He's  sitting 
up  in  state  ready  to  welcome  her,  and  we  had 
some  difficulty  in  persuading  him  that  he  must 
not  attempt  to  leave  the  house.  You  see  there 
is  abundant  room,  little  lady,  so  why  not  come  ?" 

"  Thanks,  I  think  not;  I'm  not  ready  to  drive," 
was  her  confused  answer ;  and  yet  I  saw  that  she 
had  been  out.  Her  hat  and  gloves  lay  there 
upon  the  table.  Her  costume  was  perfect — and 
so  was  her  determination. 

The  carriage  came  and  we  drove  off,  leaving 
her  smiling  and  kissing  her  hand  gayly  from  the 


KITTFS  CONQUEST.  245 

balcony  above  our  heads.  Pauline  glanced  back 
lovingly  at  her  as  we  turned  the  corner. 

"Isn't  she  exquisite?"  she  said  to  Harrod, 
whose  eyes,  too,  were  fixed  upon  the  fairy-like 
little  figure  until  'twas  hidden  from  our  sight. 

"  Yes,  and  utterly  incomprehensible.  Last 
night  she  was  in  the  depths  of  misery  when  she 
heard  about  Peyton's  connection  with  that  ras- 
cally business  last  December.  Long  after  the 
rest  of  us  had  gone  to  bed,  Pauline  went  in  and 
told  her  the  whole  story  of  your  night  adven- 
ture and  Peyton's  further  rascality,  and,  by 
Jove !  it  acted  like  a  counter-irritant.  She  has 
been  in  a  whirl  of  spirits  all  morning;  but, 
Paulie,  she  should  not  lush  out  on  the  streets 
by  herself.  She  was  out  nearly  half  an  hour 
awhile  ago." 

"  Not  out  of  sight,  Harrod.  I  had  her  in  view 
from  the  balcony." 

"  What  on  earth  could  she  find  to  do  down  on 
Royal  Street  for  nearly  half  an  hour  without 
going  out  of  sight  ?" 

Pauline  smiled  demurely.  "  Merely  making 
some  purchases  at  the  corner,  I  fancy." 

"  At  the  corner  ?     Why,  it's  a  cigar  store." 

"  I  did  not  say  in  the  corner,  M.  le  colonel 
Kitty  is  fond  of  oranges." 

"  Then  it  took  half  an  hour  to  buy  half  a  dozen 
oranges  of  that  old  Dago  at  the  fruit-stand,  did 
it?  Still,  that  does  not  account  for  her  blithe 
21* 


246  KiTrrs  CONQUEST. 

spirits.  One  would  think  that  having  sent  one 
adorer  away  heart-broken ;  and  another  having 
vanished  in  disgrace  (though  that  was  but  a  boy 
and  girl  affair),  and  a  third  laid  up  as  the  result 
of  the  second's  rascality ;  a  girl  might  be  expected 
to  suffer  some  pangs  of  remorse.  I  declare  I 
believe  some  women  have  no  more  conscience 
than  kittens,  and  our  Kitty  is  one  of  them,"  said 
Harrod,  half  wrathfully. 

A  moment's  silence,  then, — 

"  Well,  why  should  she  not  want  to  come  and 
meet  the  judge  ?"  I  asked,  with  blundering  per- 
sistency. 

"  And  why  should  she  be  bright  as  a  button 
this  afternoon  ?"  deman  ded  Harrod. 

Pauline  smiled  with  conscious  superiority.  "  I 
can  understand  it  readily,  and  am  really  sur- 
prised that  you  two  profound  thinkers  should  be 
so  utterly  in  the  dark.  I'm  not  going  to  betray 
her,  however;  you  ought  to  be  able  to  see  through 
it  yourselves."  And  that  silenced  me  completely. 
I  record  it  with  absolute  humility  that  not  until 
days  afterwards  was  it  made  clear  to  me  that 
when  Pauline  told  Kitty  the  story  of  Amory's 
night-ride,  the  latter  was  able  to  account  for  the 
first  time  for  his  extraordinary  conduct  at  Mo- 
reau's  and  the  theatre;  more  than  that,  the  child 
then  knew  what  it  was  that  had  brought  him  in 
the  dead  of  night  to  take  one  look  at  her  window 
before  going  out  to  .meet-  Peyton.  As  for  her 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  247 

refusal  to  go  to  the  depot,  she  simply  felt  unable 
to  meet  in  that  way  Frank  Amory's  mother. 

The  train  came  in  on  time.  Harrod  sprang 
aboard,  and  in  another  moment  emerged  from 
the  Pullman  escorting  his  gray-haired  father, 
and  with  them  appeared  the  pale,  placid  face  I 
had  so  admired  in  the  picture  at  Amory's  tent. 
Dressed  in  black,  though  not  in  deep  mourning, 
the  gentle  lady  stepped  from  the  car,  and  Miss 
Summers,  who  had  extended  her  right  hand, 
gave  one  swift  glance  in  the  peaceful  eyes,  then 
suddenly,  impulsively,  threw  forward  both ;  and 
Harrod  and  I  had  abundant  time  to  welcome  the 
judge  before  either  lady  had  a  word  for  us. 
"When  I  turned  again  to  look  at  them  Mrs. 
Amory  and  Pauline  were  still  standing  hand  in 
hand,  and  the  latter's  lovely  face,  flushed  with 
happiness,  and  with  eyes  that  glistened  through 
the  starting  tears,  was  hardly  more  beautiful 
than  the  sweet,  sorrow-worn  features  of  her  who 
had  found  "  that  peace  which  the  world  cannot 
give,"  and  in  the  sanctity  of  her  bereaved  life 
had  learned  the  lesson  of  resignation, — the  blessed 
hope  of  a  blessed  future.  We  would  not  inter- 
rupt them  as  they  stood  gazing  into  each  other's 
eyes — the  mother  and  her  boy's  devoted  friend. 
It  seemed  best  that  from  Pauline  she  should  hear 
of  Frank's  improvement;  of  his  captain's  con- 
valescence ;  and  that  the  bonds  of  sympathy  that 
drew  them  in  such  close  alliance  should  there  be 


248  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

riveted  without  my  customary  interference ;  but 
neither  lady  was  forgetful  of  us,  and  turning  to 
me,  Mrs.  Amory,  in  that  soft,  sweet  voice  men 
love  to  hear, — all  the  more  winning  for  its 
Southern  accent, — asked, — 

"  And  is  not  this  Mr.  Brandon,  my  boy's 
friend  ?"  And  then  Mr.  Brandon  had  the  hap- 
piness of  clasping  her  hand,  and  presently  of 
leading  her  to  her  carriage.  She  was  impatient 
to  get  to  her  son,  and  it  was  soon  arranged  that 
Pauline  should  drive  up  to  see  her  later  in  the 
evening,  and  then  we  separated.  Ten  minutes 
more  and  the  orderly  opened  the  door,  and, 
obedient  to  my  beckoning  finger,  stepped  out  as 
the  lady  was  ushered  in.  We  only  heard  the 
glad  ring  in  Frank's  brave  young  voice ;  one  cry 
of  "  Mother !"  and  then  we  closed  the  door  and 
left  them  together. 

An  hour  afterwards,  Mr.  Parker  and  I  walked 
over  from  headquarters  to  pay  our  respects  to 
Mrs.  Amory  and  escort  her  to  her  lodgings, 

where  hospitable  Madame  R was  waiting  to 

welcome  her  and  refresh  her  with  tea.  We  found 
the  doctor  there  in  blithe  chat  with  his  patient 
and  that  now  happy  mother.  Very  sweet  and 
gentle  was  her  greeting  for  us.  She  seemed  to 
know  just  what  to  say  to  each  and  every  one,  and 
charmed  Parker  at  once,  as  she  had  me,  by  her 
lovely  manner  and  voice.  Almost  the  first  question 
was,  "  Can  we  not  move  Frank  over  with  me  ?" 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  249 

But  Mars  protested.  Here  he  was  right  near 
his  troop ;  could  hear  the  trumpet-calls  and  the 
voices  of  the  men  at  times ;  and  so  felt  vrith  them. 
The  doctor  would  not  let  him  go  to  duty  for 
forty-eight  hours  at  the  least, — perhaps  not 
then, — and  he  wanted  to  remain  where  he  was. 

Parker  laughingly  offered  to  come  and  occupy 
the  room  if  he  really  thought  an  officer  must  be 
with  the  troop,  and  then  the  doctor  said  his  say. 
A  carriage  could  be  there  in  ten  minutes ;  he  was 
all  dressed;  he  might  just  as  well  move  over  to 
Madame's,  a  square  away ;  be  in  comfortable 
quarters,  and  have  his  mother  in  the  adjoining 
room.  The  project  was  decided  on  in  spite  of 
him.  Parker  scurried  over  to  Camp  Street,  and 
came  back  with  information  that  j  ust  such  rooms  as 
were  needed  were  there  in  readiness,  and  when 
the  carriage  came,  our  boy  was  half  lifted,  half  led, 
down  the  stairs,  and  correppondingly  transferred 
to  new  and  cosey  quarters  nearly  opposite  head- 
quarters. Some  of  the  men  brought  over  the 
trunk  and  his  few  belongings,  but  when  it  came 
time  to  start,  Mars  himself  had  stretched  forth 
his  hand  and  gathered  in  a  beautiful  bunch  of 
sweet  wild  violets  whose  fragrance  had  filled  the 
little  room.  I  had  noticed  them  on  the  table  by 
his  side  the  moment  we  entered,  and  now  con- 
ceived it  time  to  inquire  whence  they  came. 

"  I'm  not  quite  sure,"  said  Amory,  with  some- 
thing vastly  like  a  blush.  "  They  were  left  here 


250  KITTrS   CONQUEST. 

an  hour  or  so  before  mother  came,  and  I  think 
Miss  Summers  must  have  sent  them." 

And  yet  that  evening,  when  Pauline  and  Col- 
onel Summers  came  to  see  Mrs.  Amory  for  a  few 
moments,  I  was  still  there.  The  violets  were  by 
Amory's  bedside  up-stairs;  Mrs.  Amory  made 
no  allusion  to  them,  but  I  did,  unblushingly ; 
and  neither  affirming  nor  denying  that  she  had 
sent  them,  Miss  Summers  silenced  me  by  saying 
that  she  was  glad  they  gave  Mr.  Amory  pleasure, 
and  instantly  changed  the  subject  and  addressed 
her  talk  to  her  lady  friend.  Driving  home, 
however,  she  was  at  my  mercy  and  I  again 
pressed  the  matter.  A  keen  suspicion  was  actu- 
ally beginning  to  glimmer  in  my  brain. 

"  You  sent  those  violets  of  course,  Miss  Sum- 
mers ?" 

"  If  so,  why  ask  me,  Mr.  Brandon  ?" 

"  Well !     Didn't  you,  then  ?" 

"No,  sir;  I  never  even  knew  of  their  being 
sent."  And  Miss  Summers  was  plainly  and  mis- 
chievously enjoying  my  perplexity. 

Leaving  me  at  my  rooms,  the  brother  and  sistei 
continued  on  their  homeward  way  and  their  en- 
thusiastic chat  about  Mrs.  Amory,  which  my  un- 
feeling curiosity  had  broken  in  upon.  It  was 
quite  late  and  my  letters  had  been  brought  up 
from  the  office.  First  on  the  package  was  the 
one  for  which  I  was  eagerly  waiting, — the  answer 
to  my  diplomatic  missive  to  Bella  Grayson. 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  251 

Ignoring  all  others  I  plunged  instanter  into  that, 
and  was  rewarded — as  I  deserved. 

*'  DEAR  UNCLE  GEORGE,"  she  wrote. — "  It  was 
such  a  treat  and  so  rare  an  honor  to  receive  a 
letter  from  your  august  hand,  that  for  some  time 
I  could  not  believe  it  was  intended  for  me  at 
all.  Indeed,  to  he  very  frank,  the  closing  page 
rather  confirmed  me  in  that  impression.  You 
men  always  taunt  us  by  saying  that  the  gist 
of  a  woman's  letter  lies  in  the  postscript  (one 
cynical  acquaintance  of  mine  went  so  far  as  to 
say  that  it  lies  all  the  way  through),  and  yet  not 
until  that  last  page  was  reached  did  I  discover 
the  object  of  yours.  Now,  Uncle  Georgy,  isn't 
that  circumlocution  itself?  Confess. 

"  But  you  really  do  seem  '  interested  in  young 
Amory,'  as  you  call  him ;  and  his  *  evident  admi- 
ration for  a  fair  young  friend  of  yours — an  heir- 
ess— commands  your  entire  sympathy.'  "What  a 
cold-blooded,  mercenary  avowal,  M.  mon  oncle! 
or,  do  you — is  it  possible  that  you  mean — you 
too  are  interested  in  her  ?  No !  That  is  hardly 
tenable  as  a  supposition.  There  is  something  so 
disingenuous  about  the  rest  of  the  letter  that 
your  interest  is  evidently  on  his  account.  Thank 
you  ever  so  much  for  '  having  half  a  mind  to 
take  me  into  your  confidence.'  And  now,  how 
can  I  dispel  your  perplexity  ?  With  the  best  in- 
tentions in  the  world,  how  powerless  I  am ! 


252  KITTF'S   CONqUEST. 

"  You  believe  he  has  some  lady  correspondent 
up  North.  Well,  that  strikes  me  as  quite  a 
reasonable  supposition.  Indeed,  I  have  heard 
that  most  of  them  have ;  but  what — what  did  I 
ever  say  to  lead  to  such  a  remark  as  this :  'Know- 
ing what  susceptible  fellows  cadets  are  (from 
your  own  statements)'  ?  What  could  I  ever  have 
said  to  give  you  such  an  impression?  Why, 
Uncle  George,  how  should  I  know  whether  they 
are  susceptible  or  not  ?  and  how  could  you  be  so 
cruel  as  to  allude  to  the  dismal  fact  that  I  had 
been  up  there  every  summer  for  six  or  eight 
years,  and  am  still  Bella  Grayson?  Does  that 
look  as  though  I  thought  them  susceptible  ? 

"  But  seriously ;  you  say  that  Mr.  Amory  has 
become  involved  in  *  some  entanglement  there 
from  which  he  would  now  gladly  escape/  and 
you  fancy  that  Mr.  Amory  has  done  me  the 
honor  to  make  me  his  confidante;  but  herein 
you  are  mistaken.  Certainly  I  have  never  heard 
a  word  from  him  of  an  '  entanglement,'  nor  do  I 
remember  his  being  devoted  to  any  young  girl 
in  particular.  Indeed,  he  struck  me  as  being 
rather  general  in  his  attentions,  what  little  I  saw 
of  him.  It  would  be  a  great  pleasure,  no  doubt, 
'to  help  him  out  of  his  boyish  folly  and  into 
something  worth  having,'  to  use  your  own  words, 
but  indeed,  Uncle  George,  you  overrate  my  in- 
fluence entirely. 

"  Nevertheless,  I  always  liked  Mr.  Amory  very 


KITTF'S   CONQUEST.  253 

much,  and  am  greatly  interested  in  his  romance. 
Perhaps  if  you  were  to  tell  me  what  he  said  to 
make  you  think  he  wanted  to  escape  from  his 
Northern  entanglement,  I  might  be  able  to  re- 
call some  one  of  his  flames  to  whom  the  remarks 
would  be  applicable.  Tell  me  what  you  know, 
and  then  my  'thinking-cap'  may  be  put  on  to 
some  advantage.  Just  now  I'm  much  in  the 
dark,  and,  except  very  casually  indeed,  have  not 
heard  from  Mr.  Amory  for  quite  a  while  (How 
definite ! — G.  S.  B.),  and  as  he  never  mentioned 
this  new  charmer  to  his  '  confidante,'  I  am  most 
curious  to  hear  of  her.  Do  tell  me  who  she  is, 
what  she  is  like.  Is  she  pretty  ?  of  course  that 
is  the  first  question;  is  she — anything,  every- 
thing, in  fact?  Do  be  a  good  Uncle  Georgy 
and  write.  We  were  all  so  glad  to  hear  from 
you,  but  as  I  answered,  I  shall  expect  an  answer 
equally  prompt.  So  write  speedily  to 

"  Your  loving  niece,  BELLA." 

WTien  Mr.  Brandon  finally  sought  his  bachelor 
pillow  that  night,  it  is  regretfully  recorded  that 
he,  like  Dogberry,  remembered  that  he  was  writ 
an  ass. 


22 


CHAPTER    XVIL 

Two  days  after  Mrs.  Amory's  arrival,  I  was 

seated  in  Madame  R 's  cosey  parlor.  Beside 

me  in  an  easy-chair,  and  dressed  in  his  fatigue 
uniform,  was  Mars.  On  the  table  beside  him 
were  two  bunches  of  violets  in  their  respective 
tumblers.  One  fresh  and  fragrant,  the  other 
faded  and  droopy.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon; 
Mrs.  Amory  had  gone  with  Mr.  Parker  in  search 
of  a  little  fresh  air  and  exercise,  and  Mars  had 
dropped  his  newspaper  to  give  me  a  pleasant 
welcome.  He  was  a  little  languid  and  tired,  he 
said ;  "  had  to  write  a  long  letter  that  morning." 
And  here  he  looked  very  strangely  at  me,  "  but 
felt  better  now  that  'twas  gone."  I  could  not 
but  fancy  that  there  was  a  constraint,  a  vaguely 
injured  tone,  in  his  quiet  talk.  There  was  a  lack 
of  the  old,  cordial  ring  in  his  voice,  though  he 
was  every  bit  as  courteous,  even  as  friendly  as 
ever.  It  was  something  that  puzzled  me,  and  I 
wanted  to  get  at  once  at  the  why  and  wherefore, 
yet  shrunk  from  questioning. 

Somehow  or  other  my  psychological  investiga- 
tions and  inquiries  had  not  been  crowned  with 
brilliant  success  of  late,  and  distmst  had  taken 

254 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  255 

the  place  of  the  serene  confidence  with  which  I 
used  to  encounter  such  problems.  "  Mother  has 
taken  the  letter  to  post,"  he  said,  "  but  will  be 
back  very  soon.  I  expect  her  any  moment." 
As  we  were  talking  there  came  a  ring  at  the 
bell.  A  servant  passed  the  doorway,  and  in  an 
instant  reappeared  ushering  two  ladies,  Miss 
Summers  followed  by  Kitty  Carrington. 

"Why,  Frank  Amory!  How  glad  I  am  to 
see  you  up  again  !"  was  the  delighted  exclama- 
tion of  the  former,  as  she  quickly  stepped  for- 
ward to  take  his  hand ;  "  and  here's  Kitty,"  she 
added,  with  faintly  tremulous  tone.  "  We — Kitty 
hoped  to  see  your  mother,  and  they  said  she  was 
here." 

"  Mother  will  be  back  in  a  moment.  How  do 
you  do,  Miss  Carrington?"  said  Mars,  looking 
around  Pauline  in  unmistakable  eagerness,  and 
with  coloring  cheeks  and  brow,  as  he  strove  to 
rise  and  hold  out  his  hand. 

"Don't  try  to  get  up,  Mr.  Amory,"  said  Kitty, 
timidly,  half  imploringly,  as  with  downcast  eyes, 
and  cheeks  far  more  flushed  than  his  own,  she 
quickly  stepped  to  his  side;  just  touched  his 
hand,  and  then  dropped  back  to  the  sofa  with- 
out so  much  as  a  word  or  glance  for  miserable 
me.  For  several  minutes  Pauline  chatted  gayly, 
as  though  striving  to  give  every  one  time  to  re- 
gain composure.  Kitty  sat  silently  by ;  once  in 
awhile  stealing  timid,  startled  glances  around; 


256  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

and  listening  nei  vously,  as  though  for  the  coming 
footsteps  of  some  one  she  dreaded  to  meet.  Pau- 
line watched  her  with  furtive  uneasiness,  and 
occasionally  looked  imploringly  at  me. 

To  my  masculine  impenetrability  there  was 
only  one  point  in  the  situation.  Mrs.  Amory 
had  arrived  here  in  town — a  stranger.  Miss 
Summers  and  Miss  Carrington  were  not  exactly 
old  residents,  hut  were  "  to  the  manner  horn," 
and  it  behooved  them  both  to  call  upon  the  older 
lady.  Why  should  there  be  any  cause  for  em- 
barrassment ?  Why  should  Kitty  look  ill  at 
ease,  nervous,  distressed  ?  Why  should  Mars  be 
so  unusually  excited  and  flighty?  What  was 
there  about  the  whole  proceeding  to  upset  any 
one's  equanimity  ?  What  incomprehensible  mys- 
teries women  were  anyhow !  Bella  Grayson  es- 
pecially !  What  dolts  they  made  men  appear  in 
trying  to  conform  to  their  whims  and  vagaries ! 
What  a  labor  of  Hercules  it  was  to  attempt  to 

fathom  their  moods!  What The  door 

opened  and  in  came  Mrs.  Amory  and  Parker. 
All  rose  to  greet  them,  and  I  could  see  that  Kitty, 
pale  as  a  sheet,  was  trembling  from  head  to  foot. 

At  least  I  had  sense  enough  to  appreciate  and 
admire  once  more  the  grace  and  tact  and  genuine 
kindliness  that  seemed  to  illumine  every  act  and 
word  of  this  gracious  lady.  Mrs.  Amory  went 
at  once  to  Kitty ;  greeted  her  in  the  same  low- 
toned  yet  cordial  voice  that  had  already  become  the 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  257 

subject  of  our  admiring  talk ;  then,  after  a  brief 
word  with  each  of  us,  had  taken  her  seat  with 
Kitty  upon  the  sofa,  and  in  five  minutes  had  so 
completely  won  the  trust  and  confidence  of  that 
nervous  little  body  that  her  color  had  returned 
in  aL  its  brilliancy;  her  lovely  dark  eyes  were 
sparkling  with  animation  and  interest;  and 
though  she  talked  but  little,  we  could  all  see  that 
she  was  charmed  with  Mrs.  Amory's  manner, 
and  that  she  drank  in  every  word  with  unflagging 
pleasure. 

Mars,  though  keeping  up  a  desultory  talk  with 
Miss  Summers  and  Parker,  managed  to  cast  fre- 
quent glances  at  the  pair  on  the  sofa,  and  it  was 
a  comfort  to  watch  the  joy  that  kindled  in  his 
young  eyes.  Pauline  seemed  to  divine  his  wish 
to  watch  them,  and  frequently  took  the  load  of 
conversation  from  his  shoulders  by  absorbing  the 
attention  of  the  aide-de-camp  and  myself,  and 
this  gave  him  the  longed-for  opportunity  to  listen 
once  in  a  while  to  the  talk  between  his  mother 
and  Kitty.  Once,  glancing  furtively  towards  his 
chair,  Kitty's  eyes  had  encountered  his  fixed  in- 
tently upon  her,  whereat  the  color  flashed  again 
to  the  roots  of  her  hair,  and  the  long  lashes  and 
white  lids  dropped  instantly  over  her  betraying 
orbs.  From  that  marvellous  and  intricate  ency- 
clopaedia of  family  history,  a  Southern  woman's 
brain,  Mrs.  Amory  had  brought  forth  an  array 
of  facts  regarding  Kitty's  relatives  that  fairly  de- 

r  22* 


258  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

lighted  that  little  damsel  with  its  interest.  Some- 
where in  the  distant  past  a  North  Carolina  Ward 
had  married  a  Kentucky  Carrington ;  and  while 
she  herself  had  married  an  officer  of  the  army, 
her  sister  had  married  a  Ward ;  and  so  it  went. 
Mrs.  Amory  could  tell  Kitty  just  where  and 
whom  her  people  had  married  from  the  days  of 
Daniel  Boone.  The  chat  went  blithely  on,  and 
BO,  when  Miss  Summers  smilingly  rose  and  said 
that  it  was  time  to  go,  Kitty  looked  startled  and 
incredulous, — the  dreaded  interview  had  been  a 
genuine  pleasure  to  her.  Mars  arose  and  stood 
erect  as  the  ladies  were  saying  their  adieux. 
Pauline  was  saying  to  Mrs.  Amory  that  by  the 
next  day  Major  Yinton  would  hope  to  be  able  to 
drive  out  for  the  air,  and  as  soon  as  possible 
would  come  to  see  her ;  and  this  left  Kitty  for  an 
instant  unoccupied.  Her  eyes  would  not  wander 
in  his  direction,  however ;  and  after  an  instant's 
irresolute  pause  he  stepped  beside  her,  so  that, 
as  they  turned  to  go,  she  had  to  see  his  out- 
stretched hand.  I  wanted  to  see  what  was  to 
follow,  but  Parker  and  I  had  sidled  towards  the 
door  to  escort  the  ladies  to  their  carriage.  Miss 
Summers  caught  my  eyes ;  seemed  instantly  to 
read  my  vile  curiosity,  for,  with  a  smile  that  was 
absolutely  mischievous,  she  placed  herself  be- 
tween me  and  Kitty,  who  was  last  to  leave  the 
room.  I  only  saw  him  bend  low  over  her  hand ; 
could  not  catch  a  word  he  said,  and  was  calmly 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  259 

surged  out  into  the  hall  with  ungratified  and 
baffled  spirit.  It  was  cruel  in  Pauline.  She 
ought  to  have  known  that  I  was  even  more  inter- 
ested in  the  affair  than  any  woman  could  have 
been. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Mrs.  Amory  ?"  I  deli- 
cately and  appropriately  asked  Miss  Kitty  as  we 
drove  down-town.  She  was  in  a  revery,  and  not 
disposed  to  talk ;  and  Miss  Summers,  who  had 
invited  me  to  take  a  seat  in  their  carriage,  had 
given  me  no  opportunity  of  breaking  in  upon 
her  meditations  until  this  moment.  Kitty  started 
from  her  dream ;  flashed  one  quick  glance  at  me, 
as  she  answered, — 

"  Mrs.  Amory  ?  I  think  she's  lovely,"  then  as 
quickly  relapsed  into  her  fit  of  abstraction.  Evi- 
dently Mr.  Brandon's  well-meant  interruptions 
were  not  especially  welcome  there  ;  then,  as  we 
reached  the  house  on  Royal  Street,  Major  Yinton, 
seated  at  the  window,  waved  us  (us  indeed !)  a 
joyous  greeting,  and,  despite  Miss  Summers' 
most  courteous  invitation  to  come  in  a  while,  Mr. 
Brandon  felt  that  he  had  been  interloping  long 
enough,  and  having  thus  partially  come  to  his 
senses,  the  narrator  walked  dolefully  away. 

In  the  week  that  followed,  there  were  almost 
daily  visits  between  the  ladies  of  the  Royal  and 
Camp  Street  households.  Vinton  had  sufficiently 
improved  to  be  able  to  drive  out  every  day  and 
to  take  7ery  short  walks,  accompanied  by  his  radi- 


260  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

ant  fiancte.  Much  mysterious  shopping  was  going 
on,  Mrs.  Amory  and  Kitty  being  occupied  for 
some  hours  each  bright  morning  in  accompany- 
ing Miss  Summers  on  her  Canal  Street  re- 
searches. Mars  had  returned  to  duty  with  his 
troop,  and  almost  every  evening  could  be  seen 
riding  down  to  Royal  Street  to  report  to  his  cap- 
tain how  matters  were  progressing.  I  was  struck 
by  the  regularity  and  precision  with  which  those 
reports  seemed  to  be  necessary,  and  the  absolute 
brevity  of  their  rendition.  Having  nothing  better 
to  do,  as  I  fancied,  I  was  frequently  there  at 
Royal  Street  when  Mars  would  come  trotting 
down  the  block  pavement.  Each  evening  seemed 
to  add  to  the  spring  and  activity  with  which  he 
would  vault  from  the  saddle;  toss  the  reins  to 
his  attendant  orderly,  and  come  leaping  up  the 
steps  to  the  second  floor.  "  All  serene"  was  the 
customary  extent  of  his  report  to  Vinton,  who 
was  almost  invariably  playing  backgammon  with 
Miss  Summers  at  that  hour;  while  the  judge, 
Harrod,  and  I  would  be  discussing  the  affairs  of 
the  day  in  a  distant  corner.  This  left  Kitty  the 
only  unoccupied  creature  in  the  room,  unless  the 
listless  interest  bestowed  upon  the  book  she  held 
in  her  lap  could  be  termed  occupation.  What 
more  natural,  therefore,  than  that  Mr.  Amory 
should  turn  to  her  for  conversation  and  enter- 
tainment on  his  arrival?  And  then  Kitty  had 
improved  so  in  health  and  spirits  of  late.  She 


KITTTS  CONQUEST.  261 

was  so  blithe  and  gay ;  humming  little  snatches 
of  song;  dancing  about  the  old  house  like  a 
sprite ;  striving  very  hard  to  settle  down  and  be 
demure  when  I  came  to  see  the  judge  ;  and  never 
entirely  succeeding  until  Amory  appeared,  when 
she  was  the  personification  of  maidenly  reserve 
and  propriety.  Occasionally  Mars  would  escort 
his  mother  down,  and  then  there  would  be  a 
joyous  gathering,  for  we  had  all  learned  to  love 
her  by  this  time  ;  and  as  for  Yinton — Miss  Sum- 
mers once  impetuously  declared  that  she  was 
with  good  reason  becoming  jealous.  When  she 
came,  Kitty  would  quit  her  customary  post  on  the 
sofa ;  take  a  low  chair,  and  actually  hang  about 
Mrs.  Amory's  knees ;  and  all  Mars'  chances  for  a 
tete-ct-tete  were  gone.  Nevertheless,  he  was  losing 
much  of  the  old  shyness,  and  apparently  learn- 
ing to  lose  himself  in  her  society,  and  to  be  pro- 
foundly discontented  when  she  was  away ;  and 
one  lovely  evening  a  funny  thing  happened. 
There  was  to  be  a  procession  of  some  kind  on 
Canal  Street, — no  city  in  the  world  can  compete 
with  New  Orleans  in  the  number  and  variety  of 
its  processions, — and  as  the  bands  were  playing 
brilliantly  over  towards  the  St.  Charles,  Vinton 
proposed  that  we  should  stroll  thither  and  hear 
the  music.  The  judge  offered  his  arm  with  his 
old-fashioned,  courtly  grace  to  Mrs.  Amory; 
Vinton,  of  course,  claimed  Pauline;  Harrod 
and  I  fell  back  together ;  and  Amory  and  Kitty 


262  KITTY' S  CONQUEST. 

paired  off  both  by  force  of  circumstances  and  his 
own  evident  inclination.  Once  on  the  banquette, 
Amory  showed  a  disposition  to  linger  behind  and 
take  the  rear  with  his  sweet  companion,  but  Miss 
Kit  would  none  of  it.  With  feminine  inconsist- 
ency and  coquettishness  she  fairly  took  the  lead, 
and  so  it  resulted  that  she  and  Amory  headed 
instead  of  followed  the  party.  Plainly  Mars  was 
a  little  miffed ;  but  he  bore  up  gallantly,  and  had 
a  most  unexpected  and  delightful  revenge. 

At  the  very  first  crossing,  something  of  a  crowd 
had  gathered  about  the  cigar  store,  and  so  it  re- 
sulted for  a  moment  that  our  party  was  brought 
to  a  stand,  all  in  a  bunch,  right  by  the  old  Dago's 
orange  counter  to  which  Harrod  had  made  dis- 
dainful allusion  in  connection  with  Kitty's  mys- 
terious mission  of  the  previous  week ;  and  now, 
close  beside  the  counter,  there  was  seated  a  chatty 
old  negress  with  a  great  basket  before  her  heaped 
with  violets :  some  in  tiny  knots,  others  in  loose 
fragrant  pyramids.  The  instant  she  caught  sight 
of  Kitty  her  face  beamed  with  delight.  She 
eagerly  held  forward  her  basket;  Kitty  struggled 
as  though  to  push  ahead  through  the  throng  on 
the  narrow  pavement,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  She 
could  not  move  an  inch;  and  there,  imprisoned, 
the  little  beauty,  bewildered  with  confusion  and 
dismay,  was  forced  to  hear  what  we  all  heard, 
the  half-laughing,  half-reproachful  appeal  of  the 
darky  flower-vender. 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  263 

'•Ah,  lady !  you  doan'  come  to  me  no  mo'  for 
vi'lets  now  de  captain's  up  agin."  And  there 
was  no  help  for  it ;  one  and  all  we  burst  into  a 
peal  of  merry  laughter ;  even  poor  Kitty,  though 
she  stamped  her  foot  with  vexation  and  turned 
away  in  vehement  wrath.  And  oh !  how  proud, 
wild  with  delight  Frank  Amory  looked  as  he 
bent  over  her  and  strove  to  make  some  diversion 
in  her  favor  by  boring  a  way  through  the  crowd 
and  hurrying  her  along !  We  could  see  him  all 
the  rest  of  the  evening  striving  hard  to  make  her 
forget  that  which  he  never  could.  But  Kitty  had 
only  one  feminine  method  of  revenging  herself, 
and  that  was  on  him.  Womanlike,  she  was  cold 
and  distant  to  him  all  the  evening ;  left  him  at 
every  possible  opportunity  to  lavish  attentions  on 
anybody  else, — even  me ;  and  after  all  Mars  went 
home  that  night  looking  far  from  happy. 

~No  sooner  was  he  out  of  the  house  than  Harrod 
turned  to  me  with  an  expression  of  inspired 
idiocy  on  his  face  and  said,  "  What  was  it  you 
were  all  laughing  at  up  there  at  the  corner, — 
something  about  violets  and  captains  ?" 

Whereat  Kitty  flounced  indignantly  out  of  the 
room,  and  we  saw  her  no  more  that  night. 

But  all  this  time  not  another  word  had  I  heard 
from  Bella  Grayson.  In  fact,  not  a  word  had 
I  written  to  her.  She  had  parried  the  verbal 
thrusts  in  my  letter  with  such  consummate  ease 
and  skill  that  it  occurred  to  me  I  was  no  match 


264  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

for  her  in  that  sort  of  diplomacy.  "Now  the 
question  that  was  agitating  my  mind  was,  how 
was  Mars  to  get  out  of  that  entanglement  if  it 
really  existed?  My  efforts  in  his  behalf  did  not 
seem  to  be  rewarded  with  the  brilliant  and  im- 
mediate success  that  such  depth  of  tact  had  de- 
served ;  and,  my  intervention  being  of  no  avail, 
what  could  he  expect  ? 

Fancy  the  surprise,  therefore,  with  which  I 
received  on  the  following  day  a  visit  from  Mars 
himself.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon ;  I  was 
alone  in  the  office  and  hard  at  work  finishing 
some  long  neglected  business,  when  the  door 
opened  and  my  young  cavalryman  appeared. 

He  shook  my  hand  cordially ;  said  that  he  had 
come  to  see  me  on  personal  business ;  and  asked 
if  I  could  give  him  half  an  hour.  I  gladly  said 
yes,  and,  noting  his  heightened  color  and  his 
evident  embarrassment,  bade  him  pull  up  a  chair 
and  talk  to  me  as  he  would  to  an  old  chum.  I 
can  best  give  his  story  in  nearly  his  own  words. 

"  Mother  says  I  owe  it  to  you,  Mr.  Brandon, 
to  tell  you  what  has  been  on  my  mind  so  long. 
You  have  been  very  kind  and  very  indulgent, 
and  I  wish  I  had  told  you  my  trouble  long  ago. 
I'll  make  it  short  as  I  can."  And  with  many  a 
painful  blush — but  with  manful  purpose  and 
earnestness — Mars  pushed  ahead. 

"  I  met  Miss  Grayson,  your  niece,  during  my 
first  class  summer  at  "West  Point,  and  got  to  ad- 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  265 

mire  her,  as  everybody  else  did.  I  got  to  more 
than  admire  her.  She  absolutely  fascinated  me. 
I  don't  mean  that  she  tried  to  in  the  least, — she 
just  couldn't  help  it.  Before  camp  was  half  over 
I  was  just  beside  myself  about  her ;  couldn't  be 
content  if  I  didn't  see  her  every  day ;  take  her 
to  the  hops,  and  devote  myself  generally.  Every 
man  in  the  class  thought  I  was  dead  in  love  with 
her.  Mr.  Brandon,  I — I  did  myself.  I  never 
ceased  to  think  so — until  last — until  after  that 
Ku-Klux  fight  at  Sandbrook.  I  made  her  think 
so.  She  really  tried  to  talk  me  out  of  it  at  first, 
— she  did  indeed.  She  said  that  it  was  simply  a 
fancy  that  I  would  soon  outgrow ;  and  she  never 
for  once  could  be  induced  to  say  that  she  cared 
anything  for  me.  She  was  always  lovely  and 
ladylike,  always  perfect,  it  seemed  to  me.  She 
even  went  so  far  as  to  remind  me  that  she  waa 
as  old  as  I  was,  and  far  older  in  the  ways  of  the 
world,  and  cadets  especially.  She  never  encour- 
aged me  one  bit,  and  I  just  went  on  getting 
more  and  more  in  love  with  her  all  that  year ; 
used  to  write  to  her  three  or  four  times  a  week ; 
dozens  of  letters  that  she  only  occasionally  an- 
swered. Then  she  came  up  in  June,  and  I  was 
incessantly  at  her  side.  She  might  not  care  for 
me,  but  she  did  not  seem  to  care  for  anybody 
else,  and  so  it  went  on.  She  would  not  take  my 
class  ring  when  I  begged  her  to  that  summer. 
She  wore  it  a  few  days,  but  made  me  take  it 

M  23 


266  KITTY'S  CONqUEST. 

back  the  day  we  graduates  went  away;  but  I 
went  back  that  summer  to  see  her  twice,  and 
when  I  came  away  I  swore  that  after  I'd  been  in 
service  a  year  I  would  return  to  New  York  to 
offer  myself  again ;  and  we  used  to  write  to  each 
other  that  winter,  only  her  letters  were  not  like 
mine.  They  were  nice  and  friendly  and  all 
that, — still,  I  knew  she  had  my  promise.  I 
thought  she  would  expect  me  to  come  back.  I 
felt  engaged  so  far  as  I  was  concerned;  then 
when  I  got  wounded  her  letters  grew  far  more 
interested,  you  know  (Mr.  Brandon  nodded  ap- 
preciatively) ;  and  then  they  began  to  come 
often ;  and,  whether  it  was  that  she  thought  our 
life  was  very  hazardous,  or  ,that  the  climate  was 
going  to  be  a  bad  thing  for  me,  or  that  I  would 
not  recover  rapidly  there,  her  letters  began  to 
urge  me  to  come  North.  I  got  two  at  Sand- 
brook — one  the  very  day  you  were  there  at  the 
tent — and  two  since  we  came  here ;  and  then — 
then  I  found  only  too  surely  that  it  was  not  love 
I  felt  for  her;  indeed,  that  I  had  grown  to  love — 
you  know  well  enough  (almost  defiantly) — Miss 
Carrington.  I  felt  in  honor  bound  to  carry  out 
my  promise  to  Miss  Grayson,  and  to  avoid — to — 
well,  to  be  true  to  my  promise  in  every  way. 
But  I  was  utterly  miserable.  Mother  detected 
it  in  my  letters,  and  at  last  I  broke  down  and 
told  her  the  truth.  She  said  there  was  only  one 
honorable  course  for  me  to  pursue,  and  that  was 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  267 

to  write  to  Miss  Grayson  and  tell  her  the  same, 
tell  her  the  whole  truth;  and  it  was  an  awful 
wrench,  but  I  did  it  that  day  you  were  at  the 
house.  It  came  hard  too,  for  only  the  day  be- 
fore a  letter  came  from  her  full  of  all  sorts  of 
queer  things.  A  little  bird  had  whispered  that, 
like  all  the  rest,  I  had  found  my  cadet  attach- 
ment something  to  be  forgotten  with  the  gray 
noat  and  bell  buttons.  She  had  heard  this,  that, 
and  the  other  thing;  she  would  not  reproach. 
It  was  only  what  she  had  predicted  all  along, 
etc.,  and  it  cut  me  up  like  blazes ;  but  mother 
smiled  quietly  when  I  told  her,  said  that  I  must 
expect  to  be  handled  without  gloves,  and  warned 
me  that  I  must  look  for  very  just  comments  on 
my  conduct;  and  then  somehow  I  decided  that 
you  had  written  to  her  about  me.  You  said 
nothing  to  make  me  think  so,  and  altogether  I 
was  in  an  awful  stew  until  this  morning." 

"  And  what  now  ?"  I  asked,  eagerly. 

"  Her  answer  came.  Brandon,  she's  a  trump; 
she's  a  gem ;  and  so's  her  letter.  Mother's  got 
it,  and  is  writing  to  her  herself.  I'm  inexpress- 
ibly humbled,  but  somehow  or  other  happier 
than  I've  ever  been."  And  the  boy  and  I  shook 
hands  warmly,  and  Mr.  Brandon  bethought  him- 
self that  that  blessed  Bella  should  have  the  love- 
liest Easter  present  the  avuncular  purse  could 
buy. 

"  What  did  Bella  say  ?"  he  asked. 


268  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

"  Oh !  I  can't  quite  tell  you.  It  was  all  just 
so  sweet  and  warm-hearted  and  congratulatory 
(though  that  is  possibly  premature),  and  just  as 
lovely  a  letter  as  ever  was  written." 

"  And  we  may  look  for  two  weddings  in  the 
— th  Cavalry,  then  ?" 

But  Mars'  features  clouded.  "Vinton  and 
Miss  Summers  will  be  married  next  month ;  for 
Vinton  says  we  may  expect  to  be  ordered  to  the 
plains  with  the  coming  of  summer,  but  no  such 
luck  for  me.  I  have  precious  little  hope  just 
now." 

"And  has  Miss  Carrington  heard  of  our 
Bella  ?"  I  asked,  mischievously. 

"  Good  heavens !  I  hope  not.  That  would  be 
the  death-blow  to  everything." 

Yes,  it  struck  me  that  there  would  be  a  weapon 
that  Miss  Kit  would  use  with  merciless  power. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

IT  was  a  gala  night  at  the  opera.  The  grand 
old  house,  so  perfect  in  acoustic  properties,  so 
comfortably  old-fashioned  in  design,  so  quaintly 
foreign  in  all  its  appointments,  was  filled  with  an 
audience  composed  of  the  music-loving  people 
of  New  Orleans,  and  a  sprinkling  of  Northern 
visitors  still  lingering  amid  the  balmy  odors  of 
the  magnolia  and  the  orange-blossoms.  Spring 
had  come, — summer  was  coming.  The  sun  was 
already  high  and  warm  enough  to  warrant  the  ap- 
pearance of  parasols  by  day ;  while,  after  it  sank 
to  rest,  the  ray-warmed  breezes  were  welcomed 
through  open  door  and  casement ;  and  in  hun- 
dreds of  slender  hands  the  fan,  swung  and  flirted 
with  the  indolent  grace  our  Southern  women 
have  so  readily  learned  from  their  Castilian  sis- 
terhood across  the  sea,  stirred  the  perfumed  air, 
and  rustled  soft  accompaniment  to  the  witchery 
of  the  music. 

Entering  that  old  French  opera-house  on 
Bourbon  Street,  one  steps  on  foreign  soil. 
America  is  left  behind.  French  is  the  language 
of  every  sign,  of  the  libretto,  even  of  the  pro- 
gramme. French  only  is  or  was  then  spoken  by 

23*  269 


270  KITTY' S   CONQUEST. 

the  employes  of  the  house.  French  the  orches 
tra,  the  chorus,  the  language  of  the  play.  French, 
everything  hut  the  music.  The  ornamentation 
of  the  house,  the  arrangement  of  the  boxes,  the 
very  division  of  the  audience  was  the  design  of 
foreign  hands,  and  here,  more  readily  than  any- 
where in  our  land,  could  one  imagine  oneself 
abroad. 

These  were  days  of  triumph  for  the  stockhold- 
ers of  the  old  company.  The  somewhat  over-- 
gilded and  too  ornate  decorations  might  have 
lost  much  of  their  freshness,  the  upholstery 
had  grown  worn  and  faded ;  but  the  orchestra 
and  the  company  were  admirable.  Aiming  at 
perfection  and  completeness  in  all  details,  the 
managers  had  kept  up  the  old  system  of  putting 
everything  thoroughly  upon  the  stage.  Costumes 
and  properties,  though  old,  were  accurate  and 
appropriate ;  the  chorus  was  full,  admirably 
schooled  and  disciplined ;  and  the  orchestra,  in 
the  days  when  Calabresi's  baton  called  it  into  life, 
had  no  superior  in  the  country.  Instead  of  lav- 
ishing fortunes  on  some  one  marvellous  prima 
donna  and  concomitant  tenor,  the  aim  of  the 
management  had  been  to  secure  excellent  voices, 
good  actors,  conscientious  artists,  and  so  be  sure 
of  rendering  an  opera  in  its  entirety, — every  part 
well  and  suitably  filled,  instead  of  turning  the 
grand  creations  of  the  great  composers  into  mere 
concert  recitations.  One  heard  the  opera  in  New 


KITTF'S   CONQUEST.  271 

Orleans  as  he  heard  it  nowhere  else  m  the  coun- 
try, and  there,  and  there  only  of  all  its  places  of 
public  amusement,  could  one  see  in  full  force  the 
culture  and  the  refinement  of  the  Crescent  City. 

It  was  a  "  full  dress"  night.  The  parquet  was 
filled  with  men  in  the  conventional  black  swal- 
low-tail. The  dress  and  second  circles  of  open 
boxes,  the  loges  behind  them,  were  brilliant  with 
the  toilets  of  beautifully-dressed  women  ;  and  in 
one  of  these  latter  enclosures  were  seated  Miss 
Summers  and  Kitty,  behind  whom  could  be  seen 
Vinton,  Amory,  and  Harrod. 

Leaving  my  seat  in  the  parquet,  I  strolled  up 
to  their  box  immediately  after  the  curtain  fell 
upon  the  first  act  of  "  The  Huguenots."  Some 
forty-eight  hours  had  passed  since  my  meeting 
with  Mars,  and  that  vivid  curiosity  of  mine  was 
all  aflame  as  to  the  later  developments.  Both 
ladies  turned  and  gave  me  cordial  welcome  as  I 
entered.  Vinton  made  room  for  me  behind  Miss 
Summers'  chair,  and  Harrod  strolled  out  to  see 
some  friends. 

Though  both  officers  were  in  civilian  evening 
dress,  the  story  of  Pauline's  engagement  was 
known  among  the  few  acquaintances  she  had  in 
society,  and  her  escort,  a  stranger  to  the  city, 
was  doubtless  assumed  to  be  the  Yankee  major. 
It  was  too  soon  after  the  war  for  such  an  alliance 
to  be  looked  on  with  favor  by  those  who  had  re- 
cently been  in  bitter  hostility  to  the  army  blue, 


272  KITTY'S 

and  tlie  few  glances  or  nods  of  recognition  that 
passed  between  Miss  Summers  and  a  party  of 
ladies  in  an  adjoining  box  were  constrained- 
even  cold.  To  my  proud-spirited  friend  this  was 
a  matter  of  little  consequence.  If  anything,  it 
servad  only  the  more  deeply  and  firmly  to  attach 
her  to  the  gallant  gentleman,  still  pale  and  lan- 
guid from  his  recent  illness,  who  so  devotedly  hov- 
ered about  her  the  entire  evening.  Her  sweet, 
womanly  face  was  full  of  the  deepest  tenderness 
as  she  leaned  back  to  speak  to  him  from  time  to 
time,  and  soon,  with  woman's  quick  intuition, 
observing  that  I  was  anxious  to  watch  Kitty  and 
Mars,  she  delightedly  resigned  herself  to  my  ab- 
straction and  gave  her  undivided  attention  to 
Vinton. 

Never  in  my  brief  acquaintance  with  her  had 
Kitty  Carrington  looked  so  bewitchingly  pretty. 
Never  were  her  eyes  so  deep,  dark,  lustrous; 
never — I  could  plainly  see — so  dangerous.  Never 
was  her  color  so  brilliant,  never  were  her  lips  so 
red,  her  teeth  so  flashing!  y  white ;  and  never  yet 
had  I  seen  her  when  all  her  fascinations  were  so 
mercilessly  levelled  at  a  victim's  heart,  even  while 
she  herself  was  tormenting  him  to  the  extent  of 
every  feminine  ingenuity.  The  situation  was 
plain  at  a  single  glance. 

Her  greeting  to  me  had  been  coquettishly  cor- 
dial, and  for  a  moment  she  looked  as  though  she 
expected  me  to  accept  Mr.  Amory's  proffered 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  273 

chair  at  her  back.  But  Mars  had  risen  with  so 
rueful  a  look  in  his  eyes — something  so  appealing 
and  wistful  in  his  bearing — that  I  had  the  decency 
to  decline ;  and  with  vast  relief  of  manner  he  slid 
back  into  his  seat,  and  the  torment  went  on. 

In  low,  eager  tones  he  was  murmuring  to  her 
over  the  back  of  her  chair.  She — with  head  half 
turned,  so  that  one  little  ear,  pink  and  shell-like, 
was  temptingly  near  his  lips — was  listening  with 
an  air  of  saucy  triumph  to  his  pleadings, — what- 
ever they  were, — her  long  lashes  sweeping  down 
over  her  flushed  cheeks,  and  her  eyes,  only  at 
intervals,  shooting  sidelong  glances  at  him. 
What  he  was  saying  I  could  not  hear,  but  never 
saw  I  man  so  plunged  in  the  depths  of  fascina- 
tion. His  eyes  never  left  their  adoring  gaze 
upon  her  face,  yet  they  were  full  of  trouble,  full 
of  pleading  that  might  have  moved  a  heart  of 
stone.  But  Kitty  was  merciless.  At  last  there 
came  a  bubble  of  soft,  silvery  laughter  and  the 
mischievous  inquiry, — 

"And  how  should  a  lady  answer?  How — 
Miss  Grayson,  for  instance?" 

For  a  moment  there  was  no  word  of  reply. 
Amory  sat  like  one  in  a  daze.  Then  very  slowly 
he  drew  back,  and  I  could  see  that  his  hand 
was  clinched  and  that  his  bright  young  face  had 
paled.  Alarmed  at  his  silence,  toying  nervously 
with  her  fan,  she  strove  to  see  his  eyes,  yet  dared 
not  look  around.  Mars  slowly  rose  to  his  feet, 


274  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

bent  calmly  over  her,  and,  though  his  voice 
trembled  and  his  lips  were  very  white,  he  spoke 
distinctly,  even  cuttingly, — 

"  Miss  Grayson  would  have  answered  at  least 
with  courtesy  and— good-night,  Miss  Carring- 
ton." 

And  before  another  word  could  be  said  he  had 
quickly  bowed  to  the  rest  of  us  and  abruptly 
quitted  the  box. 

Evidently  she  had  tormented  him  until  his 
quick,  impulsive,  boyish  nature  could  bear  it  no 
longer, — until  his  spirit  had  taken  fire  at  her 
merciless  coquetry, — and  then,  giving  her  no 
chance  to  retract  or  relent,  he  had  vanished  in 
choking  indignation.  Kitty  sat  still  as  a  statue 
one  little  minute,  turning  from  red  to  white. 
Pauline,  who  had  heard  only  Amory's  sudden 
words  of  farewell,  looked  wonderingly  up  an  in- 
stant, then  seeing  plainly  that  there  had  been  a 
misunderstanding,  and  that  remark  or  interfer- 
ence would  only  complicate  matters,  she  wisely 
turned  back  to  Vinton,  and  the  rising  of  the  cur- 
tain gave  all  an  excuse  to  concentrate  their  eyes, 
if  not  their  thoughts,  upon  the  stage. 

But  the  opera  was  an  old  story  to  me.  Kitty 
was  a  novelty,  a  study  of  constantly  varying 
phases,  a  picture  I  never  tired  of  gazing  at,  and 
now  she  was  becoming  even  more — a  perfect  fas- 
cination. Pauline  glanced  furtively,  anxiously, 
at  her  from  time  to  time,  but  I, — I  most  un 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  275 

blushingly  watched  and  stared.  She  was  mani- 
festly ill  at  ease  and  grievously  disquieted  at  the 
result  of  her  coquetry.  Her  brilliant  color  had 
fled.  Her  eyes,  suspiciously  moistened,  wan- 
dered nervously  about  the  house,  as  though 
searching  for  her  vanished  knight,  that  they 
might  flash  their  signal  of  recall.  I,  too,  kept 
an  eye  on  the  parquet  and  the  lobby,  far  as  I 
could  see,  vaguely  hoping  that  Mars  might  re- 
lent and  take  refuge  there,  when  his  wrath  would 
have  time  to  cool,  and  he  could  be  within  range 
of  her  fluttering  summons  to  "  come  back  and 
be  forgiven."  But  the  second  act  came  to  a 
close.  Mars  never  once  appeared.  Vinton  and 
Miss  Summers  once  or  twice  addressed  some 
tentative  remark  to  Kilty,  as  though  to  bring 
her  again  into  the  general  conversation  and 
cover  her  evident  distress ;  but  monosyllabic  re- 
plies and  quivering  lips  were  her  only  answer. 
I  began  to  grow  nervous,  and  decided  to  sally 
forth  in  search  of  my  peppery  hero.  My  minis- 
trations had  been  vastly  potent  and  diplomatic 
thus  far,  and  might  be  again.  So,  with  a  word 
or  two  of  excuse,  I  made  my  bow  and  strolled 
into  the  foyer. 

One  or  two  acquaintances  detained  me  a  few 
moments,  but  during  the  intermission  between 
the  acts  I  was  able  to  satisfy  myself  that  Mr. 
Amory  was  no  longer  in  the  house.  Indeed, 
gome  of  the  officers  stationed  in  town  told  me 


276  KITTY'S   COKQUEST. 

that  they  had  seen  him  crossing  the  street  just  as 
they  re-entered.  Presently  I  met  Colonel  New- 
hall,  and  his  first  question  was, — 

"  How  is  Vinton  to-night  ?" 

"  Very  well,  apparently.  Do  you  want  to  see 
him?" 

"Not  particularly.  He  is  here,  I  believe. 
You  might  tell  him  that  his  sick-leave  is  granted. 
It  may  be  welcome  news  to  him — just  now." 

"  Naturally :  as  he  expects  to  be  married  next 
month." 

"Yes.  I'm  glad  he  got  the  leave — when  he 
did,"  said  the  colonel,  as  he  turned  away  to  speak 
to  some  friends. 

Something  in  his  manner  set  me  to  thinking. 
What  could  he  mean  by  saying  that  he  was  glad 
Yinton  had  secured  his  leave  of  absence  ?  Was 
any  sudden  move  probable?  Amory  did  say 
that  it  was  current  talk  that  their  regiment  was 
to  be  ordered  to  the  frontier  in  the  spring.  Could 
it  be  that  the  order  had  already  come  ? 

I  went  back  to  the  box.  Kitty  looked  eagerly 
around  as  I  entered,  then  turned  back  in  evident 
disappointment.  Not  a  word  was  exchanged  be- 
tween us  until  the  close  of  the  act ;  but  for  two 
occupants  of  the  loge  "  The  Huguenots"  had  lost 
all  interest. 

It  was  eleven  o'clock  and  after  as  we  reached 
the  lodgings  on  our  return  from  the  opera. 
Mars  had  nowhere  appeared,  though  Kitty's 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  £77 

eyes  sought  him  in  the  throng  at  the  doorway, 
and,  as  we  drew  near  the  house,  she  looked 
eagerly  ahead  at  a  soldierly  form  in  cavalry  un- 
dress uniform.  A  corporal  of  the  troop  was 
lounging  under  the  gas-light  at  the  entrance. 
The  moment  he  caught  sight  of  our  party  he 
stepped  forward  and  handed  Yinton  a  letter. 

There  was  nothing  unusual  about  a  letter  ar- 
riving for  Major  Vinton — day  or  night.  Order- 
lies came  frequently  to  the  old  house  on  Royal 
Street  with  bulky  missives  for  him ;  yet  I  felt  a 
premonition  in  some  inexplicable  way  that  this 
was  no  ordinary  communication.  It  was  a  mere 
note,  and  I  thought  the  corporal  said,  "  From  the 
lieutenant,  sir."  Yet  I  knew  it  meant  tidings  of 
importance, — and  so  did  others. 

Miss  Summers  had  withdrawn  her  hand  from 
Vinton's  arm  as  he  took  the  note,  and  with  deep 
anxiety  in  her  paling  face  stood  watching  him  ab 
he  opened  and  read  it  under  the  lamp.  Kitty 
too  had  stepped  forward,  and,  resting  one  little 
hand  on  the  stone  post  at  the  doorway,  gazed 
with  equal  intensity  and  a  face  that  was  paler  yet 
than  her  cousin's.  Harrod  and  I,  a  little  behind 
them,  were  silent  witnesses.  Presently  Vinton 
looked  up,  his  eyes  seeking  the  face  he  loved. 

"  "What  is  it  ?"  she  asked. 

"  Our  orders  have  come." 

For  an  instant  no  one  spoke.  I  could  not  take 
my  eyes  off  Kitty,  whose  back  was  towards  me, 
24 


278  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

but  \vho  I  could  see  was  struggling  hard  for 
composure.  Pauline  instinctively  put  forth  her 
Land,  drawing  Kitty  closer  to  her  side. 

"  Shall  I  read  it?"  asked  Vinton,  gently,  look- 
ing at  Pauline,  after  one  hurried  glance  at  Kitty. 
She  nodded  assent. 

"  It  is  from  Amory,"  he  said. 

"  DEAR  MAJOR,— Parker  has  just  met  me.  The 
"orders  are  out.  Regiment  ordered  to  Dakota. 
Our  troop  goes  by  first  boat  to  St.  Louis.  Your 
leave  is  granted,  so  it  does  not  affect  you ;  but — 
I'm  glad  to  go.  Parker  says  by '  James  Howard' 
to-morrow  night. 

"  Yours  in  haste, 
"  AMORY." 

Without  a  word  Kitty  Carrington  turned  from 
us  and  hurried  into  the  house. 

"What  on  earth  could  take  the  regiment  to 
Dakota  ?"  asked  Harrod,  after  a  moment  of  si- 
lence. 

"  The  Sioux  have  been  troublesome  all  along 
the  Missouri  and  Yellowstone  of  late,  and  this 
is  anything  but  unexpected.  "We  had  a  lively 
campaign  against  the  Southern  Cheyennes,  yoa 
remember,  and  this  promises  more  work  of  the 
earne  kind,  only  much  farther  north." 

Pauline's  eyes  were  filling  with  tears.  I  was 
plainly  de  trop,  and  had  sense  enough  left  to  ap- 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  279 

predate  that  fact  at  least.  Promising  to  meet 
Vinton  at  headquarters  in  the  morning,  1  took 
my  departure.  I  had  made  up  my  mind,  late  aa 
it  was,  to  go  and  see  Amory ;  and,  late  as  it  was, 
I  found  him  in  earnest  talk  with  his  mother. 

"  Can  you  spare  me  a  moment  ?"  I  asked.  "  I 
have  just  heard  the  news,  and  if  it  be  true  you 
sail  to-morrow  night,  you  will  be  too  much  occu- 
pied to-morrow." 

He  had  come  to  the  door  to  admit  me,  and 
looked  reluctantly  back.  Hearing  my  voice,  Mrs. 
Amory  came  into  the  hall  to  greet  me,  and  cour- 
teously as  ever  she  asked  me  to  enter ;  but  I  saw 
the  traces  of  tears  on  her  face,  and  knew  that 
their  time  was  precious. 

"  I  want  to  have  a  moment's  talk  with  this 
young  man,  Mrs.  Amory.  I  will  not  take  him 
farther  than  the  corner,  and  will  not  keep  him 
longer  than  five  minutes  at  the  utmost.  Can  you 
spare  him  that  long  ?" 

She  smiled  assent,  but  Mars  hung  back.  He 
knew  well  that  I  was  once  again  coming  forward 
with  some  intervention,  and  his  blood  was  up, 
his  anger  still  aglow ;  but  I  was  not  to  be  denied. 
He  seized  his  forage-cap  and  stepped  out  with 
me  into  the  starlit  night. 

"  There  is  no  time  for  apologies  from  an  old 
fellow  like  me,  Amory,"  said  I,  placing  a  hand 
involuntarily  on  his  shoulder.  "  Forgive  me  if 
I  pain  you,  or  am  too  intrusive.  I  heard  what 


280  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

happened  at  the  opera  to-night.  Would  you  be 
willing  to  tell  me  how  she  came  to  know  any- 
thing about  Bella  Grayson  ?" 

"  I  told  Miss  Carrington  myself,"  said  Mars, 
rather  shortly ;  and  his  hands  went  down  in  his 
pockets,  and  a  very  set  look  came  into  his  face 
as  he  kicked  at  a  projecting  ledge  in  the  uneven 
pavement. 

"You  know  how  I've  grown  to  like  you, 
youngster,  and  must  know  that  I  can  have  no 
other  impulse  or  excuse  in  thus  meddling  with 
your  affairs.  I'm  fond  of  her  too,  Frank,  and 
have  seen  enough  to-night — and  before — to  con- 
vince me  that  she  would  give  a  vast  deal  to  unsay 
those  thoughtless  words.  I  do  not  excuse  her 
conduct ;  but  she  never  for  an  instant  could  have 
dreamed  of  its  effect,  and  it  did  not  take  the 
news  of  your  order  to  make  her  repent  it  bitterly. 
I  could  see  that  plainly.  Amory,  don't  go  without 
seeing  her." 

Mars  made  no  reply  whatever. 

"  Have  you  told  your  mother  of  this  misunder- 
standing ?"  I  asked. 

"Not  exactly.  I  have  told  her — she  saw  I 
was  cut  up  about  something  and  asked — that 
something  had  been  said  that  was  very  hard  to 
bear,  but  that  I  had  rather  not  talk  of  it  now. 
I  was  too  much  hurt." 

"  Well.  Then  I  must  say  nothing  further,  my 
boy ;  but  if  I  may  ask  anything  for  the  sake  of 


KITTrS  CONQUEST.  281 

the  friendship  I  feel  for  you  and  for  them,  tell 
your  mother  the  whole  affair,  and  let  her  guide 
your  action.  Now,  forgive  me,  and  good-night. 
We  will  meet  in  the  morning." 

He  pressed  my  hand  cordially  enough,  hut  still 
made  no  reply  to  my  request.  "  Thank  you,  Mr. 
Brandon ;  good-night,"  was  all  he  said,  and  Mr. 
Brandon  walked  gloomily  homeward.  Amantium 
ir(K  might  be  easy  things  to  settle  if  left  to  the 
participants,  but  were  vastly  easier  to  stumble 
into. 

Clear,  cloudless,  lovely  dawned  the  morrow, 
and  long  before  office  hours  I  had  breakfasted 
and  betaken  myself  to  headquarters.  Mr.  Parker 
was  there,  and  Amory  had  been  at  the  office,  but 
"Vinton  had  as  yet  put  in  no  appearance.  My 
first  question  was  as  to  the  probable  time  of  de- 
parture of  the  troop,  and  Parker's  tidings  filled 
me  with  hope.  The  quartermaster  had  been  un- 
able to  secure  transportation  for  the  horses  in 
the  "  Howard."  The  troops  could  not  sail  be- 
fore the  following  day.  Meantime,  he  said,  there 
was  to  be  a  review  of  the  small  force  in  the  city 
that  very  afternoon,  and  the  general  had  ex- 
pressed a  desire  to  have  a  look  at  the  cavalry 
once  more  before  they  started  for  their  new 
and  distant  sphere  of  duty.  It  was  his  favor- 
ite arm  of  the  service,  and  he  hated  to  part  with 
them. 

By  and  by  the  general  himself  arrived,  and 

24* 


282  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

Major  Vinton  happening  in  at  almost  the  same 
moment,  "  the  chief"  led  the  latter  into  his  pri- 
vate office  and  held  him  there  for  over  half  an 
hour  in  conversation.  An  orderly  was  despatched 
for  Mr.  Amory,  who  was  busily  occupied  over 
at  the  stables,  and  that  young  gentleman  pres- 
ently made  his  appearance,  looking  somewhat 
dusty  and  fatigued.  The  men  were  packing  for 
the  move  and  getting  ready  for  their  afternoon 
exhibition  at  one  and  the  same  time,  he  ex- 
plained. Then  Vinton  came  out,  called  his  sub- 
altern to  one  side,  and  gave  him  some  instruc- 
tions in  his  quiet  way,  and  no  sooner  had  he 
finished  than  Amory  faced  about  and  went  out 
of  the  room  like  a  shot.  Then  for  the  first  time 
I  had  a  chance  to  speak  to  Yinton  and  ask  after 
the  ladies. 

"Very  well;  at  least  Miss  Summers  is,  de- 
spite her  natural  concern  at  our  sudden  taking 
off " 

"  Why,  you  are  not  going !"  I  interrupted. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered.  "  As  far  as  Memphis, 
at  least.  Then  I  shall  leave  the  troop  to  Amory 
and  make  for  Sandbrook,  whither  the  judge  and 
the  ladies  will  start  in  a  few  days.  That  is,"  he 
concluded,  with  a  smile,  "  unless  some  new  freak 
takes  Miss  Kitty  Carrington.  That  little  lady 
is  ready  to  tear  her  pretty  hair  out  by  the  hand- 
ful this  morning.  She  did  not  come  to  breakfast 
at  all,  and  I  fancy  she  had  an  unusually  sharp 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  283 

skirmish  with  Amory  last  night.  By  the  way, 
I've  got  a  note  for  him,  and  he's  gone, — gone 
clear  to  the  foot  of  Canal  Street,  too,  to  look  at 
the  accommodations  on  one  of  those  smaller 
steamers, — and  I  was  enjoined  to  give  it  to  him 
at  once." 

"  Give  it  to  me ;  I'll  take  it,"  said  I,  all  eager- 
ness. "  What  hoat  will  he  be  looking  at  ?  I'll 
get  there  in  short  order." 

"  He  ought  to  he  hack  here  by  noon,"  said 
Yinton.  "  It  will  take  him  not  more  than  an 
hour." 

But  I  was  eager  to  see  Mars  myself.  The  note 
must  be  from  Kitty,  I  argued ;  and  so,  indeed,  I 
knew  it  to  be,  from  the  dainty  envelope  and 
superscription  when  the  major  drew  it  forth. 
My  theory  was  that  I  could  get  that  note  to  him 
in  less  than  twenty  minutes,  and  probably  be  the 
bearer  of  peace  propositions.  It  was  too  alluring 
a  prospect;  besides,  I  was  tired  of  waiting  around 
headquarters  doing  nothing.  Yinton  saw  my 
eagerness,  smiled,  gave  me  his  consent  and  the 
note,  and  in  half  an  hour  I  was  at  the  levee  and 
aboard  the  "  Indiana."  Mars  had  been  there 
and  gone.  So  much  for  my  officiousriess. 

This  time  I  took  a  cab,  drove  rapidly  back  to 
headquarters.  Neither  Yinton  nor  Amory  was 
there.  Mr.  Parker  said  that  the  latter  had  gal- 
loped up  not  fifteen  minutes  after  I  left,  reported 
that  the  "  Indiana"  could  not  take  sixty  horses, 


284  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

and  was  off  again,  he  knew  not  whither.  Yinton 
had  gone  to  the  stables.  Thither  I  followed. 

"  The  major  has  just  driven  off  in  the  quarter- 
master's ambulance,  and  they're  gone  to  look  at 
some  steamboat,"  said  the  corporal  at  the  gate. 
"  The  lieutenant's  horse  is  back,  sir,  but  he's 
gone  away  too." 

This  was  a  complication.  It  was  after  twelve. 
The  review  was  to  come  off  at  three.  I  wanted 
to  go  down  and  invite  the  ladies  to  drive  with 
me  to  see  it.  But  how  could  I  face  Kitty  Car- 
rington  with  that  undelivered  note?  Over  to 
Amory's  house  was  the  next  venture.  New  de- 
spair. He  and  his  mother  had  taken  a  street- 
car and  gone  up-town  only  a  few  minutes  before 
I  arrived.  Now,  what  on  earth  could  I  do  ? 

"  The  lieutenant's  horse  was  to  be  sent  to  his 
quarters,"  the  corporal  had  informed  me,  "  at 
quarter  before  three,  and  the  lieutenant  probably 
would  not  be  back  at  the  stables  again  before 
that  time." 

For  the  next  hour  Mr.  G.  S.  Brandon  was  as 
miserable  a  man  as  the  city  contained.  No  one 
at  headquarters  could  tell  where  Amory  had 
^one.  No  one  knew  when  Vinton  would  be 
back.  I  fumed  and  fidgeted  around  the  office 
some  few  minutes.  Neither  Colonel  Newhall 
nor  Mr.  Parker  could  help  me  out  in  the  least. 
There  was  no  telling  where  to  look  for  Amory. 
Vinton  might  be  found  down  along  the  levee, 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  285 

but  what  good  would  that  do?  Twice  the  old 
general  came  trudging  into  the  aide-de-camp's 
room,  and  looked  at  me  with  suspicious  eyes 
from  under  his  shaggy  eyehrows, — my  ill-con- 
cealed impatience  and  repeated  inquiries  made 
him  irritable,  or  my  undesired  presence  during 
business  hours  was  a  nuisance  to  him,  perhaps ; 
at  all  events,  after  I  had  for  the  tenth  time, 
probably,  repeated  my  hopeless  remark  of  won- 
derment as  to  where  that  young  gentleman  could 
have  gone,  just  as  the  general  came  promenading 
into  the  room  with  hands  clasped  behind  his  back 
and  his  head  bent  upon  his  breast,  as  we  New 
Orleans  people  had  grown  accustomed  to  seeing 
or  hearing  of  him,  the  old  soldier  stopped  short, 
and,  raising  his  head,  testily  exclaimed, — 

"  Mr.  Brandon,  what  is  the  matter?  Does  that 
young  officer  owe  you  any  money  ?" 

"  Money,  sir  ?  No,  sir !"  I  answered,  in  all 
haste  and  half  indignation.  "  By  heavens !  I 
wish  that  were  the  matter.  The  boot  is  on  the 
other  leg,  general.  I  owe  him  something  more 
than  money.  A  letter,  sir, — a  letter  from  a 
young  lady,  and  I  undertook  to  deliver  it  two 
hours  ago." 

April  sunshine  bursting  through  storm-cloud 
could  not  more  quickly  soften  and  irradiate  the 
face  of  nature  than  that  wonderful  smile  of  the 
old  general's  could  lighten  every  lineament. 
Who  that  ever  saw  it  could  forget  it  ?  It  beamed 


286  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

from  the  wrinkles  around  the  kind  old  eyes.  It 
flashed  from  his  even  teeth.  It  dimpled  hia 
cheeks  into  a  thousand  merry  lights  and  shadows. 
It  was  sunshine  itself,  and  with  it  all  the  old 
courtly  manner  instantly  returned. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir.  I  beg  his  pardon,  sir. 
God  hless  my  soul,  what  an  inexcusable  blunder ! 
A  note  from  a  young  lady.  That  charming  little 
friend  of  Major  Vinton's  ?  Here,  Parker,  you 
go.  You  see  if  you  can't  find  him,  sir.  Bring 
him  here,  sir.  Help  Mr.  Brandon  any  way  you 
can,  sir.  God  bless  my  soul,  what  a  blunder !" 
And  by  this  time  we  were  all  laughing  too  heart- 
ily for  further  words.  My  indignant  and  im- 
petuous reply  had  virtually  betrayed  the  situa- 
tion. 

My  cab  being  still  at  the  door  I  decided  to 
hurry  right  down  to  Royal  Street,  notify  the  ladies 
of  the  coming  review,  and  of  the  fact  that  the 
troop  would  not  sail  until  the  following  day, 
though  I  felt  sure  Yinton  had  done  that ;  then  I 
could  return  to  headquarters.  Meantime  that 
precious  note  was  placed  in  Parker's  hands. 

Whirling  across  Canal  Street,  the  cab  was  just 
turning  into  Royal  when  I  caught  sight  of  Miss 
Summers  and  Harrod  on  the  banquette,  and 
obedient  to  my  shout  the  driver  pulled  up.  They 
turned  back  to  greet  me.  Yes,  Vinton  had  sent 
word  about  the  review  and  the  good  news  that 
there  was  yet  a  day  before  they  could  sail.  The 


KITTY'S  CONqUEST.  287 

colonel  and  his  sister  were  going  to  attend  te 
some  business  on  Canal  Street,  and  hurry  back 
to  meet  him  at  the  lodgings  at  half-past  two ;  then 
they  would  all  drive  up  to  see  the  review  near 
Tivoli  Circle.  Would  I  join  them?  Amory  was 
to  command  the  troop,  as  the  doctor  thought 
Major  Vinton  not  yet  strong  enough  to  ride. 
But  where  was  Amory  ?  had  I  seen  him  ? 

All  this  was  asked  rapidly,  as  time  was  short, 
and  almost  as  rapidly  I  learned  that  Kitty  was  at 
home,  and  Pauline's  eyes  plainly  said  waiting 
and  anxious.  I  decided  on  driving  thither  at 
once  and  confessing  the  enormity  of  my  sin  of 
omission.  I  would  find  her  in  their  kind  land- 
lady's parlor,  said  Miss  Summers.  So  in  I  went. 

In  ten  minutes  Kitty  Carrington  fluttered  into 
the  parlor  where  I  was  awaiting  her.  No  need 
to  tell  that  hers  had  been  a  night  of  unhappiness, 
a  day  of  bitter  anxiety.  Her  sweet  face  was  very 
pale  and  wan,  her  eyes  red  with  weeping.  How 
to  break  my  news  I  did  not  know.  She  looked 
wonderingly,  wistfully,  at  the  solemnity  of  my 
face,  gave  me  her  hand  with  hardly  a  word  of 
greeting,  and  stood  by  the  table  waiting  for  me 
to  tell  my  errand,  forgetful  of  the  civility  of  ask- 
ing me  to  be  seated. 

"  Miss  Kitty,  I  am  in  great  trouble.  Nearly 
three  hours  ago  I  volunteered  to  hurry  down  to 
the  levee  with  a  letter  that  Major  Vinton  had  for 
Mr.  Arnory,  but  Mr.  Amory  and  I  missed  each 


288  KITTY'S   CONQUEST. 

other,  have  missed  each  other  ever  since.  He 
has  gone  somewhere  with  his  mother,  and  yet 
must  be  back  in  time  for  the  review,  but  I  felt 
certain  that  letter  ought  to  get  to  him  at  once. 
Yet  you  know  they  do  not  sail  until  to-morrow, 
do  you  not  ?" 

Her  head  was  averted,  her  slight  form  was 
quivering  and  trembling,  her  bosom  heaving  vio- 
lently in  the  effort  to  control  the  sob  that,  despite 
all  struggles,  burst  from  her  lips.  She  had  been 
waiting  for  him  all  the  morning.  In  another 
moment,  for  all  answer,  she  had  thrown  herself 
upon  the  sofa,  and  was  weeping  in  a  wild  passion 
of  unrestrained  misery.  Poor  little  motherless 
Kit !  and  this  was  my  doing. 

In  vain  I  strove  to  soothe  her.  In  vain  I  pro- 
tested that  the  letter  would  soon  be  in  his  hands, 
that  no  possible  harm  could  come  from  the  delay. 
Nay,  in  my  eagerness  and  ludicrous  distress  I 
believe  I  knelt  and  strove  to  draw  her  hands  away 
from  her  face.  Then  she  hurriedly  arose,  rushed 
to  the  window,  and  leaning  her  arms  upon  the 
casement,  and  bowing  her  pretty  head  upon  her 
hands,  sobbed  wildly.  Good  heavens  !  what  could 
such  an  old  idiot  do  ?  I  was  powerless,  helpless, 
wretched. 

Suddenly  there  came  a  springy  slep  along  the 
lower  passage,  a  quick,  bounding  footfall  on  the 
stair,  the  clink  of  spurred  heels  upon  the  matting 
in  the  hall,  and  Frank  Amory,  with  a  world  of 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  289 

sunshine  in  his  glad  young  face,  stood  at  the  door- 
way. One  glance  showed  him  where  she  stood, 
still  weeping  piteously,  still  blind  to  his  presence. 
One  spring  took  him  half  across  the  room,  one 
second  to  her  side.  I  heard  but  one  quick,  low- 
toned,  almost  ecstatic  cry. 

"  Kitty !  darling !     Forgive  me  !" 

I  saw  his  arms  enfold  her.  I  saw  her  raise  her 
head,  startled,  amazed.  Saw  one  wondering 
flash  of  light  and  joy  in  the  tear-dimmed  eyes, 
but  of  what  happened  next  I  have  no  knowledge, 
not  even  conjecture.  For  once  in  his  life  Mr. 
Brandon  had  the  decency  not  to  look,  the  sagac- 
ity to  know  that  he  was  no  longer  needed,  if  in- 
deed he  ever  had  been,  and  the  presence  of  mind 
to  take  himself  off. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

LATER  that  lovely  afternoon  an  open  carriage 
whirled  up  St.  Charles  Street  towards  old  Tivoli 
Circle.  Its  occupants  were  Miss  Summers  and 
Kitty  Carrington,  Colonel  Summers  and  myself. 
At  the  Circle  we  were  joined  by  another,  in 

which  were  seated  Mrs.  Amory,  Madame  B , 

and  Major  Vinton.  We  were  late,  it  seems,  and 
the  review  had  already  begun,  so  there  was  no 
time  for  conversation  between  the  carriage- 
loads;  but  smiles  and  nods  and  waving  hands 
conveyed  cheery  greeting,  and  Kitty's  cheeks 
flamed ;  her  eyes,  half  veiled  as  though  in  shy 
emotion,  followed  Mrs.  Amory's  kindly  face 
until  their  carriage  fell  behind;  then,  detecting 
me  as  usual  in  my  occupation  of  watching  her, 
she  colored  still  more  vividly,  and  looking 
bravely,  saucily  up  into  my  face,  remarked, — 

"  "Well,  Mr.  Brandon,  have  you  nothing  to  say 
to  me  ?  Are  you  aware  that  you  have  not  even 
remarked  upon  the  beauty  of  the  weather  thia 
afternoon  ?" 

And  this  was  from  the  girl  whom,  hardly  two 
hours  before,  I  had  seen  plunged  in  the  depths 
of  woe  and  dejection.  Verily,  there  was  nothing 

290 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  291 

I  could  say.  Such  alternations  of  smiles  and 
tears,  storm  and  sunshine,  exceeded  my  compre- 
hension; but  it  was  not  a  tax  upon  even  my 
poor  powers  of  discernment  to  see  that  my  little 
heroine  was  now  blissfully,  radiantly,  joyously 
happy. 

Suddenly  our  carriage  slackened  speed.  Crowds 
began  to  appear  on  the  sidewalks  of  the  broad, 
dusty  thoroughfare.  "We  were  off  the  pavement 
now,  and  driving  along  the  "  dirtroad"  of  upper 
St.  Charles  Street.  I  could  hear  a  burst  of 
martial  music  somewhere  ahead,  and  presently 
Pauline  exclaimed,  "  Here  are  the  cavalry !" 

Kitty,  sitting  on  the  indicated  side,  had  said 
never  a  word.  The  next  moment  we  rode  past 
the  line  of  troopers  sitting  stolidly  on  their  horses 
and  looking  blankly  into  space  ahead  of  them. 
Then,  riding  backwards  as  I  was,  I  saw  Kitty's 
soft  cheek  flushing  redder,  and  happening  to  ex- 
tend my  left  arm  outwards  at  that  instant,  my 
hand  almost  came  in  contact  with  the  nose  of  a 
tall  chestnut  sorrel,  much  to  that  sorrel's  disgust, 
for  he  set  back  his  ears  and  glanced  savagely  at 
me ;  but  by  that  time,  I  had  lost  all  interest  in 
him  and  was  gazing  in  amaze  at  his  rider.  For 
something  absolutely  incomprehensible,  com- 
mend me  to  military  love-making!  Less  than 
two  hours  ago  I  had  bolted  out  of  a  room  down- 
town leaving  that  deliciously  pretty  young  girl 
opposite  me  sobbing  in  the  arms  of  Frank 


292  KITTF'S  CONQUEST. 

Amory,  who,  with  all  a  devoted  lover's  tenderness, 
was  striving  to  comfort  her.  Yet  here  she  sat, 
apparently  indifferent ;  yet  there  he  sat  on  that 
very  horse  whose  feelings  I  had  outraged,  and 
though  we — no,  she — was  right  under  his  eyes, — 
so  close  that  she  could  stroke  his  charger's  mane 
with  her  little  hand, — he  never  so  much  as 
glanced  at  her.  Mr.  Frank  Amory,  as  com- 
manding officer  of  his  troop  on  review,  actually 
disdained  to  look  at  his  lady-love. 

"  Now  if  at  any  time,"  thought  I,  "  this  little 
imp  of  coquetry  will  flash  into  flame  and  wither 
him  when  they  meet, — perhaps  flirt  with  me, 
faute  de  mieux,  meantime,"  but  to  my  utter 
amaze  Miss  Kitty  took  it  as  admirably  as  did 
Pauline.  Each  gave  him  one  quick,  demure, 
satisfied  little  look,  as  much  as  to  say,  "  All 
right,  Frank,  I  understand."  They  had  learned 
their  tactics  already,  I  suppose,  and  I — was  an 
inferior  being,  unable  to  appreciate  the  situatioi. 
in  the  least. 

The  review  went  off  all  right,  I  also  suppose. 
It  was  all  a  blank  to  me.  The  general  and  his 
aides  rode  down  the  line  and  our  carriages  had 
to  get  out  of  the  way  in  a  hurry.  Then  the 
troops  marched  over  to  Camp  Street  and  down 
that  thoroughfare,  giving  a  marching  salute  as 
they  passed  headquarters.  We  sat  in  our  vehicles 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  and  I  simply 
stared  when  Amory  lowered  his  sabre  in  sweep- 


KITTYS  CONQUEST.  293 

ing,  graceful  salute  and  positively  looked  away 
from  us,  and  at  his  chief.  Why !  up  to  this  time 
I  had  been  ready  to  take  his  part,  and  upbraid 
Kitty  whenever  there  had  been  the  faintest  dif- 
ference between  them.  Now,  now,  I  actually 
wanted  her  to  resent  his  conduct ;  and,  with  the 
unerring  inconsistency  of  feminine  nature,  she 
did  nothing  of  the  kind.  The  instant  the  march 
was  over,  Frank  Amory  came  trotting  up  beside 
us, — a  glad,  glorious  light  in  his  brave  young 
eyes, — sprang  from  his  saddle  and  to  her  side. 
The  others  he  did  not  appear  to  see  at  all.  His 
eyes  were  for  her  alone,  for  her  in  all  their  boy- 
ish adoration,  in  all  their  glowing  pride  and  ten- 
derness. Tearing  off  his  gauntlet,  he  clasped 
her  hand  before  a  word  was  said,  and  she  looked 
shyly,  yet  steadfastly,  down  into  his  transfigured 
face. 

"  I  shall  be  down  right  after  stables ;  mother 
will  come  sooner,"  was  all  he  said.  Then  he 
condescended  to  notice  the  rest  of  us. 

Right  after  stables  indeed!  Could  you  not 
even  resent  that,  Kitty  Carrington  ?  Were  you 
already  so  abject  that  a  newly-won  lover  dare 
tell  you  that  after  his  horses  were  seen  to  he 
would  look  after  you  ?  Are  you  already  falling 
into  the  cavalry  groove  ?  learning  that  unwritten 
creed  that  puts  the  care  of  his  mount  as  the 
corner-stone  of  a  trooper's  temple  ? 

In  a  state  of  daze  I  drove  homeward  with  the 

26* 


294  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

ladies.  Nobody  talked  much.  Everybody  was 
happy  except  my  perturbed  self.  Pauline  and 
Kitty  sat  hand  in  hand.  We  reached  the  lodg- 
ings, and  were  but  a  few  moments  in  the  parlor 
when  Vinton  appeared  at  the  door  ushering  Mrs. 
Amory.  Kitty  was  at  the  window  arrangiDg 
some  flowers,  but  turned  instantly,  and,  blushing 
like  one  of  her  own  rosebuds,  walked  rapidly 
across  the  room,  looking  shyly  up  into  the  elder 
lady's  face.  How  could  I  help  seeing  the  moist- 
ened eye,  the  slightly  quivering  lip,  when  Mrs. 
Amory  bent  and,  with  one  softly-spoken  word, 
"  dear,"  kissed  the  bonny  face. 

We  masculines  took  ourselves  off  for  a  while. 
It  was  plain  the  women  had  much  to  talk  about, 
and  when  they  have,  the  sooner  husbands, 
brothers,  and  lovers  leave,  the  better  for  all  con- 
cerned. 

"  Mr.  Brandon,"  said  the  major,  as  we  settled 
ourselves  on  the  back  veranda,  "it  looks  as 
though  your  prognostication  had  come  true. 
Our  Sandbrook  Ku-Klux  affair  has  brought  its 
romance  with  it." 

"  Two  of  them,  major !  Two  of  them !  We 
might  call  them,  in  view  of  your  modest  estimate 
of  army  attractions,  *  Miss  Summers'  Sacrifice' 
and,  and " 

"  Kitty's  Conquest,"  said  Harrod. 

Swiftly  through  a  tawny  waste  of  whirling 


KITTY'S   CONQUEST.  296 

waters  a  great  steamer  ploughs  its  way.  From 
towering  smoke-stacks  volumes  of  smoke  stream 
back  along  the  tumbling  wake  and  settle  on  the 
low-lying  shores.  Breasting  the  torrent,  we  have 
rushed  past  crowded  levee,  past  sloop,  and  ship, 
and  shallop,  past  steamers  of  every  class  and 
build,  ocean  cruisers,  river  monarchs,  bayou 
traders,  swamp  prowlers.  Lordly  up-stream 
packets  lead  or  follow ;  churches,  domes,  chim- 
neys, cotton-presses,  elevators,  warehouses,  give 
way  to  low,  one-storied,  whitewashed  cottages, 
or  deep-veranda'd  frame  homesteads  on  the  one 
side,  to  flat  and  open  plantations  on  the  other. 
Eastward  there  is  naught  to  span  the  horizon 
but  one  far-reaching  level  of  swamp  or  trem- 
bling prairie.  Westward,  two  miles  back  from 
the  river-bank,  bold  barriers  of  forest,  dense, 
dark,  and  impenetrable,  shut  off  the  view.  In 
front  lies  the  eddying,  swirling,  boiling  bosom 
of  the  Mississippi, — the  winding  highway  to  the 
North, — sweeping  in  majestic  curve  through 
shores  of  shining  green.  Behind  us,  nestling 
along  the  grand  arcs  of  its  doubling  bend,  New 
Orleans  and  Algiers,  close  clinging  to  the  mighty 
stream  that  at  once  threatens  and  cajoles.  The 
river  is  master  here,  yet  dreams  not  of  his 
power. 

Precious  freight  our  steamer  bears  this  bright 
and  balmy  eve.  Proud  of  its  strength  and  grace, 
it  surges  ahead,  rumbling  in  the  vast  caverns  of 


296  KITTFS  CONQUEST. 

its  seething  furnaces,  panting  in  the  depths  of 
its  powerful  lungs,  straining  with  muscles  that 
glory  in  their  task,  hurling  aside  from  iron-shod 
beak  the  burdened  billows  of  the  opposing  river. 
Black  as  Erebus  the  clouds  of  smoke  from  tower- 
ing chimneys,  white  as  snow  the  screaming 
steam-jets,  deep  and  mellow  the  note  of  signal- 
bell,  clear,  ringing,  rollicking  the  farewell  chorus 
of  our  swarthy  crew.  Boom !  goes  the  roar  of 
saucy  little  field-piece  in  parting  salutation  to 
the  sun,  redly  sinking  through  the  forest  to  our 
left,  and  then,  from  the  lower  deck,  what  un- 
accustomed sound  is  that  ?  A  trumpet,  a  cavalry 
trumpet  sounds  the  final  tribute  to  departing  day, 
and  a  moment  later  a  young  officer  comes  spring- 
ing from  below  and  joins  our  group  upon  the 
hurricane-deck. 

Here  enjoying  the  scene,  the  gliding  rush  of 
our  gallant  craft,  the  balmy  softness  of  the  South- 
ern air,  we  are  seated,  an  almost  silent  party  of 
seven.  We  are  Mrs.  Amory,  Miss  Summers,  and 
Kitty ;  Major  Vinton,  Mr.  Amory,  Harrod,  and 
myself.  We  are  fellow-passengers  for  the  even- 
ing only.  The  troop,  men  and  horses  both,  is 
billeted  below,  and  under  command  of  its  young 
lieutenant  goes  through  to  St.  Louis,  thence  up 
the  Missouri  to  its  new  sphere  of  duties  in  the 
far  Northwest.  Vinton  is  a  passenger  as  far  as 
Memphis,  where  escorting  Mrs.  Amory,  he  takes 
the  train  to  Washington.  The  rest  of  us,  Pauline, 


KITTY'S  CONQUEST.  297 

Kitty,  Harrod,  and  I,  go  only  up  to  Donaldsonville, 
where  we  arrive  late  at  night,  and  take  the  local 
packet  back  to  the  city.  In  all  the  excitement 
and  perturbation  consequent  upon  the  sudden 
departure  of  the  troop ;  in  all  the  hurry  of  prep- 
aration, requiring  as  it  did  the  attention  of  both 
officers,  there  was  no  time  for  the  interviews,  the 
fond  partings,  the  "  sweet  sorrows"  incident  to 
such  occasions.  An  unusual  thing  occurred, — a 
bright  idea  struck  Mr.  Brandon.  He  proposed 
that  the  quartette  should  accompany  the  troop  a 
short  way  up  the  river  and  there  drink  with  them 
the  stirrup-cup ;  and  at  last  a  proposition  of  Mr. 
Brandon's  was  regarded  worthy  of  acceptance. 
So  it  happens  that  we  are  here  together. 

Evening  comes  on  apace,  and  while  Harrod  is 
smoking  somewhere  forward,  and  our  cavalry- 
men are  paired  off  and  slowly  promenading  the 
deck  with  the  ladies  of  their  love,  Mrs.  Amory 
and  I  are  chatting  quietly  in  the  brilliant  saloon, 
and  we  are  talking  of  Mars.  Her  voice  is  soft 
and  tremulous;  her  face  is  full  of  trust  and 
peace ;  her  eyes  fondly  follow  him  and  the  sweet, 
girlish  form  that  hangs  upon  his  arm  as  they 
stroll  forward  again  after  a  few  loving  words  with 
her. 

"  You  have  been  a  good  friend  to  my  boy,  Mr. 
Brandon,  and  you  will  not  forget  him  now  on 
the  distant  frontier.  It  will  be  late  in  the  fall 
before  be  can  come  East." 


298  KITTFS   CONQUEST. 

"  So  long  as  that !  I  had  cherished  some  wild 
notion  that  we  might  have  a  double  ceremony, 
when  the  major  and  Miss  Summers  are  mar- 
ried." 

"  No.  That  would  be  too  precipitate.  She  is 
very  young  yet ;  so  is  Frank  for  that  matter,  but 
he  is  thoroughly  in  earnest.  It  is  not  that  I  an- 
ticipate any  change  of  feeling,  but  it  is  best  for 
her  sake  there  should  be  no  undue  haste.  She 
will  spend  the  time  with  Miss  Summers  until 
that  wedding  comes  off,  then  visit  relations  in  the 
Nortn  during  the  summer.  Then  *  Aunt  Mary' 
will  doubtless  claim  her.  You  know  that  as  yet 
'  Aunt  Mary'  has  had  no  intimation  of  what  has 
been  going  on.  Indeed,  but  for  their  sudden  or- 
ders for  the  field,  I  doubt  very  much  if  the  young 
people  would  have  settled  their  outstanding  dif- 
ferences. She  is  a  lovely  child  at  heart,  and 
Frank  has  been  a  truthful  and  a  devoted  son," — 
the  dimmed  eyes  are  filling  now,  and  a  tear  starts 
slowly  down  the  warm  cheek, — "  but  he  is  im- 
pulsive, impetuous,  quick,  and  sensitive,  and, 
sweet  as  Kitty  is,  she  has  no  little  coquetry.  It 
will  not  all  be  smiles  and  sunshine,  '  bread  and 
butter  and  kisses,'  Mr.  Brandon." 

"Perhaps  not,  dear  lady,  perhaps  not,  yet  I 
have  no  fear.  He  is  true  and  brave  and  stanch 
as  steel,  and  she  is  loving.  God  bless  them !" 

"  Amen." 


KITTY'S   CONqUEST.  299 

Late  at  night.  The  lights  of  Donaldsonville 
lie  over  our  larboard  bow.  The  broad  river 
glistens  in  the  glorious  sheen  of  silvery  light  from 
the  moon  aloft.  We  are  gathered  in  the  captain's 
cabin  on  the  texas  and  our  glasses  are  filled. 
Moe't  and  Chandon  sparkles  over  the  brim. 

"  My  charger  is  jangling  his  bridle  and  chain, 

The  moment  is  nearing,  dear  love,  we  must  sever, 
But  pour  out  the  wine,  that  thy  lover  may  drain 
A  last  stirrup-cup  to  his  true  maiden  ever." 

Mr.  Brandon  has  the  floor,  and  eloquence, 
forensic,  judicial,  social,  is  fled.  His  idea  is  to 
eay  something  stirring  and  appropriate,  but  his 
heart  fails  him.  He  can  only  stammer,  "  Bon 
voyage,  boys,  and  safe  and  speedy  return  I"  Then 
he  slinks  out  into  the  shadow  of  the  huge  paddle- 
box,  a  vanquished  man. 

What  a  thundering  uproar  is  made  by  the  sig- 
nal-whistle of  these  Mississippi  steamers !  The 
boat  fairly  quivers  from  stem  to  stern  in  response 
to  the  atmospheric  disturbance  created  by  the 
long-drawn  blasts.  For  two  minutes  at  least,  in 
protracted,  resounding,  deep  bellowing  roar,  that 
immense  clarion  heralds  our  approach  to  drowsy 
Donaldsonville.  Three  long-drawn  blasts  of 
equal  length,  and  while  they  din  upon  the  drum 
of  the  sensitive  ear,  not  another  sound  can  be 
heard.  I  clasp  my  hands  to  my  head  and  shud- 
deringly  cling  to  the  guards.  All  other  sensations 


300  KITTY'S  CONQUEST. 

are  deadened.  Quick  light  footsteps  approach, 
but  I  hear  them  not.  Two  young  hearts  are 
painfully  beating  close  behind  me,  but  I  know  it 
not.  Clasping  arms  and  quivering  lips  are  bid- 
ding fond  farewell  so  near  that,  could  I  but  put 
one  hand  around  the  corner  of  the  narrow  pas- 
sage-way, it  would  light  on  a  cavalry  shoulder- 
strap  (the  right  shoulder,  for  the  other  is  pre- 
empted), but  I  see  it  not.  Not  until  the  deafening 
uproar  ceases  with  sudden  jerk,  am  I  aware  of 
what  is  going  on  almost  at  my  invisible  elbow. 
I  hear  a  long-drawn  sibilant  something  that  is 
not  a  whistle,  is  not  a  hiss,  yet  something  like ;  I 
hear  a  plaintive  sob ;  I  hear  a  deep,  manly  voice, 
tremulous  in  its  tenderness.  And  again  the  mis- 
erable conviction  flashes  over  me  that  I'm  just 
where  I  ought  not  to  be, — am  not  supposed  to 
be, — and  yet  cannot  get  out  without  ruining  the 
impressive  climax.  Forgive  me,  Kitty !  Forgive 
me,  Frank !  For  years  I've  kept  your  secret.  For 
years  you  never  suspected  that  you  were  over- 
heard. Nearly  all  your  story  was  jotted  down 
that  very  spring,  but  not  this  part,  not  this ;  and 
now  that  the  brief  chronicle  is  wellnigh  closed,— 
now  that  "  this  part"  is  as  old  a  story  as  the  rest, 
and  as  the  rest  would  be  utterly  incomplete  with- 
out just  such  a  finale,  can  you  not  find  it  in  your 
hearts  to  forgive  me  for  hearing  your  sweet  and 
sad  and  sacred  farewell  ?  It  was  hard,  it  was 
bitter  trial ;  it  was  so  sudden,  so  brief.  Yet  my 


CONQUEST.  301 

heart  went  out  to  you,  gallant  and  faithful  young 
soldier,  when  I  heard  these  words,  "  Five  long 
months  at  least,  my  darling.  You  will  be  true 
to  me,  as,  God  knows,  I  will  be  to  you  ?" 

And  you,  Kitty,  rampant  little  rebel  Kit,  you 
whom  I  had  seen  all  coquetry,  all  mischief,  all 
tormenting,  was  it  your  voice,  low,  tremulous, 
fond  as  his  own,  that  I  heard  murmur,  "Yes, 
even  if  it  were  years." 

A  few  moments  more  and  four  of  us  are  stand- 
ing on  the  wharf-boat,  while  the  steamer,  a  bril- 
liant illumination,  ploughs  and  cnurns  herway out 
into  the  broad  moonlit  stream.  Pauline  is  waving 
her  handkerchief  to  the  group  of  three  standing 
by  the  flag-staff  over  the  stern.  Kitty,  leaning 
on  my  arm,  trembles,  but  says  no  word.  Tears 
etill  cling  to  the  long,  fringing  lashes.  Lovely 
are  the  humid  eyes,  the  soft  rounded  cheek,  the 
parted  lips.  She  throws  one  kiss  with  her  little 
white  hand,  and,  as  the  gallant  steamer  fades 
away  in  the  distance,  her  myriad  lights  blending 
into  one  meteoric  blaze  upon  the  bosom  of  the 
waters,  the  cousins  seek  each  other's  eyes.  Pau- 
line bends  and  kisses  the  smooth  white  brow 
and  bravely  drives  back  her  own  tears.  Kitty 
leans  her  bonny  head  one  moment  upon  the 
sheltering  arm  that  is  then  so  lovingly  thrown 
around  her,  relieving  mine,  and  lays  her  little 
hand  upon  her  shoulder.  A  new  ring  glistens 
in  the  moonlight.  Tiny  crossed  sabres  stand 

23 


302  KITTY'S   CONqUEST. 

boldly  in  relief  upon  the  gold ;  beneath  them  a 
bursting  shell,  above  them  gleams  the  polished 
stone  with  its  sculptured  motto.  I  know  it  well. 
'Tis  Amory's  class  ring,  and  his  is  the  proud 
device,  "Loyaute  m' oblige" 


THE    END. 


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